Because when you’re snowed in there’s no other way to go.
This is what I found myself doing when we were stuck in Lake Tahoe for a couple of extra days. I was out of drafted blog posts and needed a cocktail to share with you all. The fam bam brainstormed what we had to work with and this is what we came up with: Kentucky Coffee!
That’s right, this is my stranded-in-a-cabin take on the classic Irish coffee, and let me tell you, it is sooooo good. My mom doesn’t even drink straight up coffee (mochas and lattes are more her jam) and she went back for Kentucky Coffee seconds. It’s that good.
Yes, we were stranded in Tahoe for a bit longer than anticipated, but it’s likely that by the time you’re reading this we’ll have dug our way out of that winter wonderland and made our way back to reality.
Not that we minded the extra time too much. We had a blast just being cozy in our cabin, building snowmen and jigsaw puzzles, and dipping in the hot tub for as long as we could handle. It was such a great time with both sides of our families, time that we will most definitely cherish and try to do more often. Because when you’re stuck in the snow, who else do you want to be with (and enjoy cocktails with) other than those you hold most dear?
So here’s what I did: I brewed up a bit of our huge stash of coffee (no way we’d run out of that on a trip to Tahoe) and I quickly simmered up some fresh mint simple syrup. We had a stash of bourbon on hand (which was a much better option than the tequila my sister brought along for margaritas) so of course that was a necessary ingredient for (and inspired the name for) Kentucky Coffee as well. Finally, I took advantage of the mixer we found in our AirBnB rental and whipped up some fresh whipped cream to top everything off. Do not skip this part! It really makes the drink.
Probably the best (a.k.a. funniest) part of creating this super tasty Kentucky Mule was the photography, which is best narrated by the photos below. Since we had planned on coming home Wednesday morning, I didn’t have any of my photography props with me at the cabin, so I had to make do. I must say the insane amount of snow made a pretty sick backdrop, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t challenging to get the right shots! Thanks to my pops and sis for capturing my dedication (and super cute hairdo) in the process of shooting this recipe.
I hope you all are staying warm, dry, and well-lubricated with drink in this New Year. You made it through the first week of 2017, so time to celebrate with a warming mug (or two) of Kentucky Coffee!
There's a new boozy hot coffee drink in town, and it's full of bourbon, mint and whipped cream. The perfect cold weather cocktail!
- 4 ounces bourbon
- 2 ounces fresh mint simple syrup
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Pour 2 ounces of bourbon and 1 ounce of fresh mint simple syrup into the bottom of two coffee mugs. Stir to combine.
Add ½ cup of brewed coffee to each mug.
In a small bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Divide whipped cream amongst both mugs. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig if desired and serve warm.
To make the Fresh Mint Simple Syrup: Combine 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar in a small saucepan with 10 fresh mint leaves. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture reduces slightly. Remove from heat at this point but it's not necessary to let the syrup cool to room temperature since you're adding it to a warm drink.
The snow doesn’t bother me anyway…
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