Happy Thanksgiving from Happy Hour in the High Peaks

Why overeat on Thanksgiving when a drink will do the trick? Think about it. The main Thanksgiving dinner ingredients are turkey, potatoes and cranberry sauce. Yeah, the vegetables are important too, but we're not worried about those at the moment. Wouldn't a Thanksgiving Dinner cocktail be just the thing to help avoid the sleepiness of the L-tryptophan present in turkey? No bloating, grogginess or sluggish feeling (unless you drink four of them). Turkey is the main attraction on Thanksgiving, so Wild Turkey is the main course in this cocktail. Mashed potatoes are a family favorite and 46 Peaks vodka fits the bill here, since it's made from potatoes. Finally, Cranberry vodka and cranberry juice. Here's our Alice's Restaurant Thanksgiving Dinner (that couldn't be beat) substitution for Thanksgiving food overindulgence, (and the ginger ale will help settle your stomach):

Thanksgiving Dinner Cocktail or Alice's Restaurant Massacree

1 oz. Wild Turkey bourbon
1 oz. Smirnoff cranberry vodka
1 oz. 46 Peaks Vodka
2 oz. cranberry juice
Shake with and serve over ice. Garnish with a leaf of fresh thyme (if you have the thyme).
4 oz. Ginger ale (after the shaking)
Makes 2 servings

What's for dessert, you ask? The pumpkin martini is the perfect conclusion. We've created our own version of this popular cocktail using fresh pumpkin. You can used canned, but, trust us, fresh is best.

Cut a small sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, and bake, cut side down, for about an hour at 350 degrees. The flesh should be easily scooped from the skin.

To avoid graininess, strain cooked pumpkin through a food mill into a heavy saucepan.

Stir in:
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. maple syrup (The real kind. Trust us.)
2 tsp. vanilla (Yes - the real stuff)

Add:
1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Slowly heat the puree until just simmering. If it seems too thick or is sticking to the pan, add more water. Simmer at very low heat for about 40 min. Stir often.

Remove from heat and allow to cool, then give it a whirl in a food processor or blender to make it smooth.

Now for the cocktail recipe you came here for in the first place:

46 Peaks Pumpkin Martini (Inspired by Trapper's Tavern at the Copperfield Inn in North Creek's signature pumpkin martini.)

1 oz. 46 Peaks vodka
1 oz. Pinnacle Whipped vodka (or vanilla vodka)
1 oz. Sapling maple liqueur (or maple syrup)
2 oz. Light cream or milk
2 Tbsp. Pumpkin puree

Shake well with ice and strain into martini glass rimmed with coarse sugar (Sugar in the Raw) and cinnamon. We brushed the edge of the glass with Sapling (you can use maple syrup or water) before dipping the rim and allowed it to dry before mixing the drink. Top with alcohol-infused whipped cream (available in liquor stores) or regular whipped cream. Lightly dust with nutmeg and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Happy Thanksgiving, Cheers & Bottoms Up!
Kim & Pam

Honorable mention art credits: Thanks to Sydney Ladd Russell's fifth grade turkey featured in photo 1 and Bob's art direction in photo 4.