Punching Up Your New Year

From recipes in his new book, "Raising the Bar: Better Drinks, Better Entertaining," master mixologist Nick Mautone shows viewers of The Early Show Friday how to make several unique cocktails for New Year's and other occasions.

Mautone, who runs a food management and consulting company, is a regular contributor to Conde Nast's Cargo magazine, in which he writes about home entertaining. Previously, he managed restaurants that included New York's Gotham Bar and Grill and the No. 1-rated Gramercy Tavern. Mautone lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.

RECIPES

Blood Orange Sparkler
(makes six 5-ounce drinks)

Blood oranges are a seasonal treat; look for them from December to May. They are grown throughout the Mediterranean as well as in California. Sparkling cocktails are festive for New Year's, so why not combine sparkling wine with fresh in-season blood oranges? It's easy to prepare much of the drink before guests arrive.

Ingredients:
1 blood orange
3 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons sweet vermouth
One 750-milliliter bottle sparkling wine, chilled
Blood orange slices for garnish

Glassware: Wine glasses

Directions:

1. Chill the sparkling wine for at least 30 minutes before making the cocktails.
   
2. Using a sharp knife, cut off and discard the ends of the blood orange. Stand it upright on a cutting board and slice the rind and white pith off the fruit, using a gentle downward sawing motion, cutting away as little flesh as possible. Discard the rinds.
   
3. Cut the fruit crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Divide the slices evenly among the 6 wine glasses.
   
4. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon sugar into each glass and muddle to extract the orange juice. Add 1/2 teaspoon vermouth to each glass and stir.
   
5. Divide the sparkling wine among the glasses, stir, garnish with blood orange slices, and serve.

This is a great winter punch to serve when blood oranges are in season. The bright colors and complementary tanginess of pomegranates and blood oranges make them an ideal combination. Full-flavored, yet light in body and texture, this punch is not overly filling, and it's a very refreshing aperitif to a rich winter meal.

Preparing a punch allows the host to enjoy the party rather than staying behind the counter mixing drinks all night. Also, pomegranates are the "it" fruit of the season.

Ingredients:
1 large pomegranate
32 ounces fresh blood orange juice (from approximately 10 blood oranges), chilled
8 ounces of vodka, chilled
8 ounces Mandarine Napoleon liqueur, chilled
1 blood orange, cut into 1/4-inch slices, for garnish

Glassware: Punch cups and punch bowl

Directions:

1. The punch should be served very cold, so either refrigerate all the ingredients the night before you assemble the punch, or chill the prepared punch overnight.
   
2. Cut the pomegranate in half. Holding each half over a large bowl, squeeze firmly to extract the juice. Use a large spoon to scoop out as many seeds as possible and add them to the juice. Be careful not to spray the seeds everywhere as they can stain.
   
3. Transfer the pomegranate seeds and juice to a punch bowl. Add the blood orange juice, vodka, and Mandarine Napoleon, and stir well to combine. Float the blood orange slices on top and serve.

The tangy sweetness of ginger, lime, and sparkling wine makes this cocktail a wonderful palate opener before dinner, or a soothing restorative after dinner. Of course, you also can serve it with food; it's especially good with Asian dishes.

Champagne is traditional for New Year's Eve toasts, and this is a unique spin on tradition. It's easy to prepare it from scratch before the party.

Ingredients:
16 ounces Ginger Syrup, chilled
8 ounces fresh lime juice (from approximately 8 limes), chilled
Two 750-milliliter bottles sparkling wine, chilled
1 lime, cut into 8 slices

Glassware: Punch cups or champagne glasses and punch bowl

Directions:

1. The punch should be served very cold, so either refrigerate all of the ingredients the night before you assemble the punch, or chill the prepared punch overnight.
   
2. Place the ginger syrup and lime juice in a punch bowl. Stir well to blend.
   
3. Add the sparkling wine and mix gently but thoroughly. Float the lime slices on top and serve.

Flavored with apples and maple sugar, this makes a great nonalcoholic punch to serve during the holidays when you are entertaining a large group. It also makes a nice aperitif and is a festive option for the kids (as well as designated drivers and pregnant women).

Ingredients:
2 McIntosh apples
3/4 cup maple sugar
2 lemons
1 lime
Long zest of 1 orange
Three 750-milliliter bottles nonalcoholic sparkling cider

Glassware: Punch cups or wine glasses and punch bowl or large pitcher

Directions:

1. Core the apples and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place them in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Sprinkle the maple sugar and squeeze 1 lemon over the apples. Stir well.
   
2. Slice the other lemon and the lime into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and add them to the apples.
   
3. Add the orange zest to the apples.
   
4. Add the cider, stir well, and serve.

This punch is more refined and less sugary than other punches, making it more palatable to serve with dinner. Using tonic water instead of ginger ale is a nice alternative.

Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh cranberries
16 ounces white grape juice
1 orange, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, each round cut into 4 pieces
2 liters ginger ale, chilled

Glassware: Punch cups or wine glasses and a punch bowl or large pitcher

Directions:

1. The cranberry mixture should be made and set to chill at least 30 minutes before making the punch. It can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Chill the ginger ale for at least 30 minutes before making the punch.
   
2. Rinse the cranberries and place them in a saucepan with the grape juice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir and reduce the heat. Simmer just until you hear the cranberries begin to pop (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat immediately. Transfer to a punch bowl or pitcher and chill for 30 minutes.
   
3. Add the orange pieces to the cranberries.
   
4. Add the ginger ale, stir well, and serve.

Many domestic and imported pear liqueurs and pear brandies are available. Choose one that is rich and a little sweet as opposed to one that is sharp (such as a grappa). One recommended brand is Belle de Brillet from France.

Pear is an unusual cocktail fruit, for a different and delicious toast. It makes for an elegant and romantic drink -- good for a New Year's Eve date.

Ingredients:
1 ounce fresh lemon juice (from approximately 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 small ripe Bartlett pear
6 ounces pear liqueur
One 750-milliliter bottle sparkling wine, chilled

Glassware: Champagne glasses

Directions:

1. You can prepare the diced pears up to 8 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Chill the sparkling wine for at least 30 minutes before making the cocktails.
   
2. Place the lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and stir to combine.
   
3. Peel, core, and chop the pear into 1/4-inch dice and add it to the bowl. Add the pear liqueur and stir well.
   
4. Divide the pear mixture evenly among the champagne glasses. Fill each glass with the sparkling wine and serve.

Here is a great snack to keep on hand. The combination of heat, salt, and sweet makes these addictive, and they go well with most cocktails (although Mautone prefers them with dark liquor drinks). You can substitute simple syrup or even ginger syrup (this gives the nuts an extremely spicy and exotic flavor) for the maple syrup.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 Tablespoons maple syrup or Simple syrup or Ginger syrup
2 cups pecans

Directions:

1. The hot and sweet pecans can be made one day ahead and stored in a cool, dry place.
   
2. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Set aside. Place the syrup in a bowl large enough to hold the pecans and set aside.
   
3. Place the pecans in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan constantly, until the pecans are hot and slightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
   
4. Immediately transfer the pecans to the bowl of syrup. Stir well to coat.
   
5. Add the spice mixture and stir well. Immediately spread the pecans on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Allow to cool before transferring to a bowl and serving.

These have become a holiday favorite at Mautone's house and are delicious any time of the year. If you cannot find chestnut pieces, substitute almonds, filberts, pecans, or your favorite nuts.

Ingredients:
24 chestnut halves
24 large pitted dried dates
2 ounces ricotta cheese
12 slices of bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500F.
   
2. Stuff a chestnut half into each date.
   
3. Fill a pastry bag with a 1/4-inch tip, with ricotta cheese. Pipe just enough ricotta into each date to fill it. Set aside.
   
4. Lay the bacon slices on a cutting board and cut each slice in half crosswise.
   
5. Place one date on each of the bacon halves, then roll up the bacon to wrap the date.
   
6. Arrange the rolls on a cookie sheet, seam-side down, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
   
7. Bake until the bacon is golden and crispy, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool 1 minute before serving on a tray lined with a napkin to absorb any excess grease.