Nikas Culinaria

(This is my latest article for The Spirit World, a blog in the Well Fed Network family)

To me, Valentine’s Day is vibrant red and cinnamon flavored. Without that bright and bracing flavor, I have not really DONE Valentine’s Day. As such, I feel that anything presented as Valentine’s specific should be dark red and filled with hot cinnamon-y goodness.

Today’s Designated Driver Drink (a Well Fed Network Spirit World blog category) delivers a fantastic dose of spicy red that is sure to delight kids and kid-at-heart adults.

Big Red Cinnamon Cocktail for the kids

Ingredients:

• Big Red Soda (you can substitute Mountain Dew Code Red if you can’t get Big Red)
• 2 small boxes cherry Jello gelatin
• 1 1/4 C boiling water
• 1 drop cinnamon oil (Lorann is a good source)

Directions:

1. Put two boxes of jello gelatin into 1 1/2 C boiling hot water and mix until dissolved.
2. Add drop of cinnamon oil.
3. Pour into your favorite mold or a flat pan to set up for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Cut jello into desired shape and add to a serving glass.
5. Pour soda over the top of jello and serve with other Valentine’s decadence.

If you would like a cinnamon flavored drink for the over 21 age group try a “Big Red” Cocktail. This recipe uses Cinnamon Goldschlager, a liquor that has gold flakes floating lazily about in it’s depths, a schnapps I love because its so darn pretty.

Liquid Big Red

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps
• 2 oz Jagermeister herbal liqueur
• 12 oz Dr. Pepper soda

Directions:

1. Pour Goldschlager and Jagermeister over ice in your most festive glass.
2. Add Dr. Pepper until it reaches the top, taking care to not let it foam the cinnamon goodness over the top.

One bit of trivia for you: The company that makes Goldschlager had to reduce the amount of gold flecks it puts into the formulation because people were having reactions to the gold, an element that is supposed to have no effect on our bodies. (see this PubMed link for studies)

Drink in moderation as this mixture is sure to go to your head in a schnapp.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Technorati Tags: Valentine’s Day