Hot pomegranate pear wine at Paris Bistro.

by April Lisante

The weather has finally shifted to that delightful chill we associate with our East Coast holiday season.

Each morning, I look forward to a warm chamomile tea, or my steaming cup of coffee with that flavored hazelnut creamer my husband cringes at, as he drinks his Starbucks Sumatra black.

On Halloween, I heated up some apple cider for the kids and some of the guests I had at the house. It was such a welcome change from sodas and mini water bottles, and it made everything more festive.

To me, this season is made for hot drinks of all kinds.

But I must admit, heating up store-bought cider isn’t creative enough for me. Neither is adding boiling water to cocoa packets brimming with freeze-dried marshmallows.

Since I am hosting Thanksgiving here with my in-laws and family for the first time in a long time, I thought it would be fun to research some unique hot drinks I could serve.

My first stop was to bone up on the differences between hot toddies, buttered rums, cocoas and other classic holiday beverages. There are many variations, but the basic recipes really only call for ciders, mulled wines – or basically wine infused with spices – some flavored liqueurs and a nice toasty Crock-Pot to keep them warm for guests.

We begin with one of the classics: the hot toddy. In the majority of old movies and novels, this was the drink that “relaxed” everyone before they turned in for bed, or knocked out that pesky bout of pneumonia. Typically made with a shot of whiskey, it also incorporates hot water, spices and herbs. Some call it “hot whiskey” in Ireland.

At McNally’s Tavern in Chestnut Hill, owner Meg McNally does a version of a hot toddy that incorporates a shot of salted caramel whiskey, for a different take on the classic.

The classic hot buttered rum, on the other hand, is rum-based and includes hot water, as well as cider and spices. This is the most closely associated with the holidays, as is wassail, a medieval concoction that is basically a hot cider spiked with mulled wine, imbibed as carolers walked around tipsy, crooning ye olde holiday classics.

Drew Spence enjoys a hot toddy at Tavern on the Hill.

If you want to get even more creative with the wassail, Paris Bistro just concocted a version of mulled pomegranate pear wine that they are adding to the bar menu this week.

This one is a doozy, a mix of Cote du Rhone red wine, Grand Marnier, honey, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, pear and star anise. That’ll clear up a cold.

At Tavern on the Hill, owner Kathlyn Egan is now offering hot toddies, buttered rums and Irish coffees. They call the menu items their “Winter Warm Ups.”

“Especially during these chilly days of autumn and with the cold, snowy days of winter ahead, try one and toast your toes beside our cozy fireplace,” Egan said.

If you love a good cup of coffee, there are a few liquor-infused variations to try, from the Tavern’s classic Irish coffee spiked with Irish whiskey and half and half, or cream, to the Italian version, which replaces the whiskey with Amaretto liqueur. If you want a non-alcoholic version, any of the flavors can be achieved with syrups found at your local grocery store. I love the Torani brand syrups, with flavors ranging from vanilla and chocolate to s’mores.

And what would the holidays be without a steaming cup of cocoa? I once tried a Mexican version infused with cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper and loved it. Karla Salinas, owner of Karla’s Kitchen, a catering shop in Flourtown, has a more kid-friendly version, a cinnamon and vanilla hot chocolate her Palestinian and Portuguese mother Elena used to whip up for Karla and her siblings from scratch, not from the Swiss Miss packets.

“I’ve had it forever since we were little kids until now,” Salinas said. “In the winter always at 5 p.m., with a pound cake or tea sandwiches.”

Here are some hot drink recipes for you to try at home for the holidays. Just keep the Crock Pot on warm on the counter, line up some mugs beside it and create a new holiday tradition.

Tavern on the Hill’s Hot Toddy

Fresh lemon juice

¼ oz. honey

3 dashes Angostura bitters

1 cinnamon stick

1 ½ oz. Jameson Irish whiskey

1 tea bag

Combine the fresh lemon juice, honey, bitters, cinnamon stick and Jameson in a pedestal mug. Insert the tea bag and pour hot water over it. Stir until honey has dissolved and serve. Quadruple recipe for Crock Pot to serve four.

Elena’s Hot Chocolate

4 cups of milk

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup organic sugar

¼ tsp. of cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat milk until warm and mix with remaining ingredients. Serves four.