Mixing Up the Holidays

[HoDo Lounge + Kirsten Waverek of Studio West Homes + Dash & White]

Story by Kirsten Waverek, Studio West Homes
Photography by Penny Burns, Northern Stories

Whether it’s a neighborhood happy hour or a full weekend of forced family fun, a home holiday gathering can be a great opportunity to flex your festive expertise. To get our creative juices flowing and expand our party hosting horizons, we teamed up with one of the industry's best mixologists, Nate Stensgard of the HoDo Lounge. He broke down three seasonal sips that are sure to fill your guests with holiday cheer. To perfect our presentation, we took a quick trip to Dash & White to find glassware and serving options to pair with these perfect pours.

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Creative Cocktails

One simple, yet effective way to shake things up a bit from your typical holiday get-together, is to create and serve your guests a specialty cocktail. A quick search of the web and you'll find it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the endless ideas, recipes, and inspiration, ranging from timeless classics to masterfully-crafted concoctions. If you really want to know how to master the craft, skip the web and go to the local experts like Nate Stensgard, at HoDo Lounge in Downtown Fargo. 

#1. Cran-Peary Wine

 [ A refreshing kind of refined ]

• 1 oz. Absolut Pear vodka (full shot)
• ½  oz. Lillet Apertif Blanc
• 1 ½  oz. Moscato
• ½  oz. Aperol liqueur
• unsweetened, pressed cranberry juice
• mint 
• club soda

Mint can be shaken in the drink like a mojito or make mint simple syrup - simmer half turbinado sugar, half water with mint leaves and strain. Garnish with mint sprig and lime zest.

Fun Tip: To get a little craftier, sometimes Stensgard makes a concentrated syrup, or premixed "shrub", consisting of cranberries, sugar, and a bit of cider vinegar. The result is a sweet, acidic mixer that can be used in a variety of mixed cocktails. 
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* Featured: Dash & White rose crystal champagne flute

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#2. HoDo Cider

[ Hot cider with next-level nostalgia ]

• 1 oz. pear vodka
• 3/4 oz. pomegranate liqueur
• 3 oz. apple cider
• 2 cloves
• 3 juniper berries
• dash of honey
• cinnamon stick
• dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Heat to hot without scorching, garnish with orange peel. 

* Featured: Dash & White mulled wine mug 

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#3. Uncle Paul’s Spanish Coffee

[ Served best with a dessert & an audience ]

• 1 oz. Kahlua
• ½  oz. Cointreau
• 4 oz. coffee
• 4-6 oz. heavy whipping cream 

Glass rimmed with orange, then turbinado sugar. Splash of 151 swirled around in glass, light on fire to caramelize sugar, sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg mix on rim while swirling flaming glass. Pour in Kahlua, Cointreau and coffee. Top with heavy whipping cream.

* Featured: Dash & White faceted crystal champagne flutes

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See more of Kirsten Waverek's ideas on home design, seasonal trends, entertaining and family at: studiowesthomes.com/blog

• Instagram: @studiowesthomes
• Facebook: Studio West Homes

For more information, contact:

Studio West Homes

• Kirsten Waverek 
• hello@studiowesthomes.com 
• 701.404.7716
• studiowesthomes.com 

HoDo Lounge

• 101 Broadway North, Fargo
• 701.478.1000 
• hoteldonaldson.com 

Dash & White

• 3265 45th St. South, Suite 120, Fargo
• 701.645.3933
• kelsey@dashandwhite.com
• dashandwhite.com 

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