November Drink of the Month - The Brandy Alexander

This month's drink is dedicated to my mom, who is perhaps the biggest fan of this blog that I know. Thanks Mom, for enjoying my writing and for supporting my hobby.

As the calendar flips to November and the leaves start falling off the trees, perhaps it is time to cut back on wonderful, light citrus drinks made with club soda and fancy floral liqueurs. While I enjoy a good Saint Tropez most any time, it doesn't really fit most people's mood come winter time. As I write this, we are in our third day of cold (not quite freezing) rain in South Bend, which means its time to begin breaking out the heartier drinks as folks settle in for the freeze. 

For some people, winter means only warm drinks, but this is not a policy I adhere to. While warm spiced apple cider is quite delicious with rum or brandy, there are plenty of iced drink options that can help you get through the snowier months. The key here is to mix in heavier ingredients - crèmes and cream - with your liquors in order to produce a more robust drink that helps fill your belly on a cold night.

By special request, we'll feature my mom's favorite of all these heavier drinks this month: the Brandy Alexander. This drink originated in the twenties (like many great cocktails) and combines heavy cream, dark crème de cacao and brandy or cognac. It is a variation of the original "Alexander" drink, which was made with Gin. But where does the name Alexander come from? Stories vary - it might have been named after the bartender, perhaps a drink critic, or perhaps even Tsar Alexander II of Russia.

Here is a simple recipe for the Brandy Alexander:

In a cocktail shaker, combine:

1 oz brandy (cognac is preferred - if not, ensure brandy is VSOP)

1 oz fresh cream*

1 oz dark crème de cacao**

Shake WELL over ice*** and strain into a martini class. Garnish with a light sprinkling of ground nutmeg.

Obligatory notes:

*There are many difference of opinion over what kind of cream to use. Most of the recipes I consulted called for heavy cream. Our finding was that this made the drink a little too thick and heavy. I would recommend trying half-and-half the first time you make the drink. If you enjoy the taste, stick with half-and-half. If you want it a little thicker (or if you grew up on whole milk like my cowboy roommate), consider moving up to heavy cream for your second round.

**Chocolate liqueurs are also an acceptable substitute here. Godiva makes a very nice liqueur that would work quite well, but standard DeKuyper mixers work fine here. Just make sure you purchase DARK crème de cacao - the liqueur should be a caramel color.

***Since this is a cream drink, you will need to shake it quite a bit to get a good consistency. You can also make this drink in a blender if you are concerned about your shaking abilities. The Brandy Alexander can also be served as a frozen drink. If this is your preference, follow the above steps, but add 1/2 cup of ice to the recipe and make the whole thing in the blender.

Enjoy your Brandy Alexander! And stay warm!