Baby, it's cold outside

Most of the time, I'm quite content to live in the Midwest.  Sure, sometimes it would be nice to be among the trendsetters to the east or the west.  I wouldn't mind being one of the first places to get the new releases, instead of seeing ads or reading articles about things I can't have.  But this is a nice place to live.

Except for right now.  Because it is really, truly, obscenely cold.  As in, it's only 3 degrees outside.  With wind chills in the general vicinity of -20, or colder.  For a bit of perspective, the current temperature in Anchorage, Alaska is 21 degrees, with no wind chill.

This is just plain wrong.

So for this afternoon, I have been experimenting with coffee based cocktails.  Or to be more accurate, I have been drinking multiple cups of coffee, about a half cup at a time, and trying a different spirit or liqueur in about every one.

For the record, whiskey is good in coffee, if you like whiskey.  (I'm not a fan.)  Rum is good.  Dark rum is especially good if you also include a big dollop of cream of coconut, some turbinado sugar, and top it with whipped cream - just sip the coffee through the cream, like an Irish coffee.  Vodka isn't bad, but there are so many things better, including most of the liqueurs I've tried: peach schnapps, chambord, Kahlua, and Godiva White Chocolate (oh, yeah, baby).  Unless you're a glutton for punishment, I'd suggest ignoring the Jaegermeister.

But if you're looking for some more traditional hot cocktail choices, try one of these:

Classic Irish Coffee
Hot Buttered Apple Cider
Hot Pumpkin Spice cocktail
Warming Drambuie cocktails

Stay inside, and stay warm!