Welcome December! For me, December is a month that makes me hopeful. It’s a time to look back on the past year, to think about everything I’m grateful for and think of everything I’m excited for in the new year. This is the month when seed catalogs come out, and we start planning everything we want to grow come spring. The winter solstice, the longest night, restarts the cycle of the year. From December 21st onward each day will be longer as the wheel turns towards spring and new beginnings. But let us not forget, December is also the month with the darkest night, and on the winter solstice I also like to take some time to sit and think about everything I want to let go of in the new year, any insecurities or baggage I can let melt away in the growing sunlight.
Recipe for Winter Solstice Negroni:
Ingredients
1oz cranberry liquor (or cranberry juice for non-alcoholic)
1oz sweet vermouth
1oz gin
If making this non-alcoholic sub 2oz ginger ale for vermouth and gin
a few drops of one or more of the following bitters: orange, ginger, cinnamon, rosmary
optional: orange slice, sprig of rosemary
Pour all ingredients into a glass over ice!
This is a festive spin on my favorite classic cocktail! Most of the ingredients are connected to the element of fire and are associated with light and warmth. This makes them perfect for a potion to help you celebrate the return of the sun!
Magical associations of each bitter:
- orange – creativity, love, sun, happiness, vitality, strength
- cinnamon – healing, protection, warmth, prosperity, action
- ginger – passion, speed, warmth, clarity, grounding
- rosemary – memory, cleansing, protection, purification, stabilizing/balancing
Bramble & Brimstone 