I (along with wife Nat) got the nicest batch of ginger snaps recently from pal Jill M (her husband, pal Ed, has a book just out called Mister Skylight that you should buy, by the way). The snaps were a bit more cookie-y than many ginger snaps (so, not crisp like some traditional ginger biscuits, and nowhere near ginger nuts, or, for that matter ginger balls. And yes, I just said ginger balls. But now my traffic skyrockets), but with goodly ginger flavor and a little bit of chewiness. I liked them lots, and ate lots of them. But then I started thinking: there is a baker’s dozen of them, maybe I should make a drink using them as a garnish? This is the way my mind works. And, I was also thinking (I have up to three trains of thought at once: right now, they consist of writing this post, thinking about a post on the comics blog Progressive Ruin that combines Adam West Batman with Dark Night Batman, and musing about how the leaning tower of Pisa doesn’t fall over) that with the holiday season you might want to know about a drink that uses ginger snaps as a garnish. Cause the snaps tend to show up this time of year.

So, I wanted a ginger-y drink, but one also with some other funtastic flavors. Which led to me playing around with this VeeV Acai (it’s a super fruit!) Spirit I’d had sent to me recently and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur. The Veev is pretty sprightly with some tropical hints, the DdeC is very gingery and touch sweet, and at first the playing around wasn’t coming out quite right–until I added ol’ reliable, sweet vermouth. Its bit of holy herbal-ness completely rounded out the edges of the other two, and all-of-sudden I was in ginger-island-holiday-paradise. I suggest you stock up on all of the ingredients so you can get to this paradise, too (and because you may just need a drink before the month’s out. The holidays aren’t all sunshine).

Ice cubes

1-1/2 ounces VeeV Acai spirit

1 ounce Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

Ginger snap or cookie, for garnish

1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add everything except the cookie. Shake well.

2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with that cookie (I had to notch it just a bit for proper rim balancing. But after that, I did a lot of dunking with it).

It’s Thanksgiving week, which means I’m too busy stretching my stomach to post much (and to anyone who says, “you don’t post much on any week” I say “go soak your head”), but I did want to remind you to save a little cranberry sauce from the big feast so you can be sure to have your Gizmo on Friday. Or Thursday night. Cause you wouldn’t want to miss out.

Wait, what, you don’t know the Gizmo? Well, it’s a dandy way to utilize those leftovers, a cocktail created for this very purpose by bar-and-kitchen-and-drug boy genius Jeremy Holt, aka, the HuksyBoy. Here’s the lowdown:

Ice cubes

2-1/2 ounces gin (Aviation is nice)

1 ounce homemade cranberry sauce

1/2 ounce simple syrup (optional)

1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin and cranberry sauce, and syrup if using (if you’re not into the sweets, omit the syrup). Shake exceptionally well.

2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a turkey leg. Or, for vegetarians, a hunk of stuffing on a toothpick.

A Note: Not sure about making homemade cranberry sauce? Try this (also courtesy HB): Add 1 bag cranberries, the juice and zest of 1 orange, and 1 cup sugar to a saucepan. Heat until required sauce texture is reached.

Now, you know why you need to save a little sauce. And why you should buy that Jeremy a drink next time you see him.

In honor of the two sorcerous folks who were able to say where the name “Tareva” came from in the drink “Tareva’s Tipple,” I thought I’d point you in the direction of two more drinks that have at least somewhat mystical sounding names. But first, a huge shout out to Paul de Senquisse from the blog Tears of the Night (which is in French, as Paul’s from France–that’s right, Spiked Punch is international) and to PTOR from the awesome Sanctum Sanctorum Comix blog, which is not only a blog devoted to my (and your, if you’re not square) favorite Sorcerer Supreme, but also one that features Rom: Spaceknight and the Man-Thing. That is a line-up good enough to make Stan Lee cry triumphant tears of happiness true believers. I owe those two drinks, when we’re on the same multi-dimensional plane at some point. But until then, sip on these pleasant potions picked out of the drinker’s blogosphere.

• Vampiro: Buried a bit in a hangover post (which one might have on a weeked), this savory tequila-y evilicious drink of the underworld winds its way from the LUPEC Boston blog. Only fitting, really, since those ladies are known to weave wicked liquid spells of whooping wackiness with their wondrous cocktails. Whoopee! (I suggest you read this graphic novel while drinking for maximum mayham).

• Zamboanga Cocktail: If (and I’m not saying it isn’t, I’m just saying “if,”) there isn’t a wizard and/or warlock of some standing residing within a little known tropical country whose name is “Zamboanga” then there darn well should be. Have a few of these Cognac-and-maraschino-and-more cocktails, utilizing the useful recipe from one of the most prestidigitatously powerful cocktail blogs present, Paul Clarke’s Cocktail Chronicles, and you’ll start peering at said wizard whether he (or she) is real (or not).

It’s Friday again (heck yeah!), and while I may be a little older this week (or, at least, have passed another birthday milestone) that doesn’t mean I’m any less bubbly at the thought of sipping the following three drinks from sweet sites that reside within what I like the call the Drinker’s Blogosphere. If you like to drink (and I know you do) then I suggest you spend some time with the following cocktails. And if you like to read (and I hope you do), I suggest checking out Alcohology’s A Lesson in Absinthe while you sip the first drink. It’s filled with good info, much of which is from the awesome absinthe afternoon the WSBG put on recently.

• Jasper’s Jamaican: This recipe is actually on the Serious Eats site, but is written up by Cocktail Chronicler Paul Clarke himself, and can take you away tropically from all the unfriendly weather lurking outside your window (well, it’s lurking outside mine at least).

• Maple Leaf Rum Variation: Be reminded that it’s good to drink local when at all possible, and be reminder also that it’s good to read everything the Ladies of LUPEC Boston write about, because you’ll always find tasty recipes like this one when you do (and, of course, also find good and fun facts and frolicking).

• St. Croix Crusta: In an informative and tasty entry (which is a bit older, but so worthy of your time) the Small Hand Bartender not only teaches you how to make your own Orchard Syrup (an older ingredient somewhat sadly lost to history) but also the St. Croix Crusta, which uses said syrup deliciously.

Are you ready for some weekend? Well, if you aren’t, you stink. No, no, I’m kidding, maybe you’re someone who actually adores the M-through-F-at-5-pm much more than the F-at-5-pm-through-Sun-night. Maybe (and maybe you’re a corporate suck up, too. No, no, I kid. You’re the tops. At least in my view. Which is, honestly, what matters at this moment). Either way, make your weekend a better place to be with one of these mighty fine mixes.

• Garden Party Punch: Why wouldn’t you have a few friends over and fill up the punch bowl with a garden during January? Show that ol’ winter who the boss is. I know that Cheryl Charming at Charming Cocktails will (and she’ll teach you how to make an amazing ice punch bowl at the same time).

• The Cocktail with No Name: Why not attempt to utilize tawny port in a drink that’s related to the Manhattan and seems sure to cure what ails you, and cure the chill that’s still evident in most spots? Go over to A Dash of Bitters and learn all about it, and maybe even drop a naming suggestion (they sure seem awfully friendly and might just be receptive).

• Pax Sax Sarax: Why you’d think of skipping Burns supper (or, if avoiding like I the haggis, skipping a Burns night cocktail), or skip getting poetic with this scotch-y bitters-y magical affair is beyond me–so why? Instead, fly your broom over to SpiritsandCocktails and bring out the inner witch or warlock or sorcerer or thaumaturge or (gasp) poet while sipping a strengthening concoction (and enjoying every minute of it).

As the holidays are almost here (yay!) and as it’s snowing like the Dickens (what does that mean, by the way? I mean, Charlie D wasn’t known for his weather-creation abilities was he? And did I really just call Mr. Dickens “Charlie D?” His ghost is gonna kick my ass), who knows how many posts will find their way up on this blog in the next few weeks. But don’t fret pals, the following drinks from the blogosphere will get you through the lean times in high fashion.

• Gin Punch: Speaking of Dickens, Cocktail Chronicles is talking about Mr. Micawber and David Copperfield (one of my favs, if not as good in my opinion as, say, Great Expectations) and the hot gin punch recipe from the book (which I myself am pretty fond of, as you’d expect, me being all Dickens’ up) Drinking with Dickens. Whew, that was long-winded. Go read the recipe and blog–it’s much tastier.

• Hot Buttered Rum: The rollicking ladies of LUPEC Boston are talking toddies, which only seems appropriate this time of chilly year. And, they’re also providing a really right on recipe (in that fine LUPEC style) for hot buttered rum, as well as a recipe for making holiday compound butter, which makes that very rum drink very much above the average. So, why not warm up?

•  Rutherglen’s Border Cocktail: It shouldn’t just be “oh it’s cold out” and “give me a hot drink” this time of year. Which is why I suggest heading over to SpiritsandCocktails for the festive Rutherglen’s Border Cocktail, which uses Cognac and Muscat (a dessert wine that mixes well in mixes) and pear and bitters (oh my). Not only will the post give you the recipe for this cocktail that’s a right fit for any swank seasonal soirée or meal’s end, but wow, the picture of it is dreamy, too.