The Story Behind The Sweater Weather
There’s nothing like Christmas time in NYC, and the Cosmopolitan, a classic New York creation, is a great way to celebrate. Created by Toby Cecchini at Manhattan’s The Odeon in the late ‘80s and popularized by the gals of “Sex & the City” quickly thereafter, the traditional version of the pink drink features citrus vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and cranberry juice.
The Sweater Weather, designed by bartender Katie Kennedy of Cocktail Kingdom and formerly of East Harlem’s Contento, is an ode to the original but adds some seasonal spice to the cranberry component. Rather than a splash of Ocean Spray, this cocktail features an herbed cranberry sauce syrup, playing on the cranberry sauce that graces many tables over the holidays. The syrup is infused with thyme, oregano, rosemary, bay leaves, and citrus zest, which each add subtle savory complexity to the overall drink. Many of these herbs are on holiday shopping lists anyway, so this cocktail is a great way to use up any leftover bunches.
Herbed Cranberry Sauce Syrup Ingredients
- 18 ounces dried cranberries
- ⅔ tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1⅓ tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 5 cups cranberry juice
- 6 cups white sugar
- 2½ cups filtered water
- Zest of 1 lime
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange and juice from 1 orange
- ¼ cup canela cinnamon
Herbed Cranberry Sauce Syrup Directions
- Place all ingredients *except for the canela* in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing the cranberries to the side to release the juice.
- After 40 minutes, stir in the canela and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and strain through a chinois.
- Store in a sealed container.
