Chez Rays Holiday Brew Recipes

Steps:

• Puree the cucumbers, jalapeños, sugar and ? cup water in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Add 1 cup lime juice to the pitcher and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice on a plate. Combine 2 tablespoons salt and the chile powder on another plate. Dip the rims of 8 glasses into the lime juice, then into the salt mixture. Add ice to the glasses.
• Add the soda to the pitcher and stir, then divide the punch among the glasses. Garnish with gummy candies.

Steps:

• Place zest, sugar, and spices in saucepan and cover with boiling water. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat wine and Aquavit in another saucepan to boiling point, but do not let boil. Pour both mixtures into punch bowl and stir. Ladle into punch cups and stand back!

Steps:

• For the cold brew: Combine the coffee, crushed cardamom pods, salt and water in a large pitcher and stir well to combine. Place in the refrigerator to steep for 18 to 24 hours.
• Meanwhile, for the maple oat milk: Combine the oats, water, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a blender. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Do not process for over 30 seconds as that may cause the oats to give up too much starch, which will change the texture.
• Strain the oat milk once through a fine mesh sieve and then a second time through the same sieve lined with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the milk to slowly strain through the towel, gently stirring if needed. Avoid pressing or squeezing the oat milk to maintain the proper texture.
• Adjust the sweetness of the oat milk with another 1 or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired. Transfer to a jar or bottle and place in the fridge until ready to use.
• When the coffee is brewed, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove most of the coffee grounds. Line the sieve with a few layers of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and pour the cold brew through the lined sieve one or two more times to remove any remaining grounds.
• Serve the cold brew over ice and pour over some maple oat milk to taste, leaving any oat milk sediment at the bottom of its container.

Steps:

• Pour the gelatin mix into a large bowl. Slowly stir in the boiling water. Stir at least 2 minutes, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in the pineapple juice. Let cool to room temperature.
• Wearing heavy duty gloves or using tongs, place the block of dry ice in the bottom of the cauldron. (Dry ice will burn skin, so handle it with gloves and tongs and keep it away from kids and pets!)
• Use an ice pick to break the block into smaller chunks, if necessary.
• Fill the cauldron with just enough water to cover the dry ice. It will begin to "steam."
• Place the punch bowl inside the cauldron, on top of the dry ice. The cauldron will appear to be magically smoking.
• Entrap the sterilized rubber hand between the cauldron and the punch bowl, squeezing it tight so the hand appears to be reaching out of the mist for help. Hot-glue the hand to the cauldron, if necessary, to hold it in place.
• Carefully pour the drink mixture into the punch bowl. Slowly add the chilled vodka and lemon-lime soda or ginger ale. Stir gently to mix.