Usually by this time of year, I’m knee deep in the holiday spirit. Cookie baking, hot cocoa sippin’, and getting bundled up to see as many Christmas lights as we can. With this year’s weather, I’m still very excited about the holidays, but I’m slacking on some things- some holiday decor is up but no tree yet, holiday shopping isn’t completed, and the nice weather has taken away from our usual Christmas movie and cuddle time. When Hard Rock Cafe invited me out to try some of their holiday drinks, I thought it would be a fun way to boost my holiday spirits and I was excited to report back about the selection.
Out of the five holiday drinks available for a limited time at Hard Rock, we opted to try the Southern Jam, Rock You Like a Coconut (non alcoholic), and the Bohemian Rasp-Sody. Since I am not a scotch person, I knew I wouldn’t be a huge fan of the Southern Jam- but my hubby would. He loved it! It was also his first time trying Monkey Shoulder, so he was happy to learn a new drink to look out for. The Rock You Like a Coconut was delish- definitely a treat for anyone- even a fun festive drink for the kids to share and feel part of the fun. The Bohemian Rasp-Sody with Smirnoff vodka was my fave- the passion fruit foam was an awesome addition too.
Since I’m not a whiskey drinker, I didn’t try the other two holiday drinks, but I know those that are would find the other two delish. Here’s a closer look at the whole round up of festive drinks:
- She’s My Apple Pie – Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, apple and pineapple juices with Monin Salted Caramel shaken together and then topped with Angry OrchardHard Cider and garnished with whipped cream and a cinnamon crisp (recipe below)
- Southern Jam – Monkey Shoulder and Black Cherry Real mixed with fresh blackberries and lemon juice (recipe below)
- Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot – Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and Rum Chata blended with Coco Real, Monin Almond, pineapple juice and a dash of cinnamon
- Bohemian Rasp-Sody – Fresh raspberries and Monin Passion Fruit shaken with Smirnoff Vodka, Robert Mondavi Merlot and Hard Rock’s sweet and sour, topped with house-made passion fruit foam (crafted by Kazuki Goto, BARocker 2015 Champion, Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo)
- Rock You Like a Coconut (alcohol free) – Monin Salted Caramel, Coco Real, caramel sauce blended with half and half topped with whipped cream and sweet caramel popcorn
RECIPES
If you’re looking for some holiday inspired recipes to try on your own, Hard Rock still has you covered. Check out the recipes below:
She’s My Apple Pie
Glass: Mason Jar Technique: Shaken
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
- 2 oz apple juice
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz Monin Salted Caramel
- 1 oz hard cider
- Whipped cream, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and favorite cinnamon cookie or graham cracker for garnish
Directions:
- Shake ingredients together.
- Top with hard cider.
- Garnish with whipped cream, dust with cinnamon and add favorite cinnamon cookie or graham cracker. Enjoy!
Southern Jam
Glass: Mason Jar Technique: Shaken
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz Monkey Shoulder Scotch
- 1 oz black cherry puree
- 4 blackberries
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 2 speared luxardo cherries for garnish
Directions:
- Shake ingredients together.
- Garnish with two speared luxardo cherries. Enjoy!
The Food
In case you’re wondering what we enjoyed with our drinks, check out this visit’s choices:
Jumbo Combo: A collection of our most popular appetizers: Signature Wings, Onion Rings, Tupelo Chicken Tenders, Spinach Artichoke Dip with Parmesan flatbread and bruschetta. Served with honey mustard, hickory barbecue and blue cheese dressing
The sampler platter is a favorite of ours since it has a little bit of everything we love. Yum!
The Texan: Choice of hickory-smoked pulled pork or chicken with chipotle barbecue sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, crispy fried jalapeños and onions, piled high on toasted brioche.
I’m actually pretty upset that I ate the whole thing and don’t have any to eat for lunch today. This was delicious!
Fried Shrimp Platter: A generous portion of lightly breaded jumbo shrimp, served with citrus coleslaw, seasoned fries and spicy cocktail sauce.
Yum!
Kids Menu: If you have never ordered from the kids menu at Hard Rock, then you haven’t seen the awesome plates their food is served in. These are also available in the gift shop, so make a fun stocking stuffer too!
I love how Hard Rock adds these fun holiday and seasonal changes to their menu to mix it up and bring something new in for guests to enjoy. Be sure to stop by Hard Rock before the holidays are over to try out these fun holiday drinks, and stay tuned for next season’s choices.
For more information about Hard Rock Cafe, visit www.hardrock.com