All Roads Lead to the Kitchen: Cake Vodka

"Angry Elf" cocktail inspired by ELF for Food 'n Flix via www.girlichef.com

If I had to name my top 5 Christmas movies - Elf would be on that list. We actually own quite a few Christmas flicks. We've built up quite the collection over the years. We have enough that I don't have the time to watch all of them every year, so I pick and choose the ones I'm in the mood for. But no matter the year, Elf is always one of the ones that I watch.

It's hilarious. It makes me cry. Really. I've told you I'm a baby like that, right? Plus, it definitely spreads Christmas cheer. But is it a foodie movie? Pssshh. Of course it is! Almost anybody can be a foodie movie if you "go into it" that way. Sure, some take more imagination that others, but still.

Elf is one of those that stokes the fires of the imagination. From Maple Syrup Spaghetti, to a sweet-tooth (or tooth-ache) inducing breakfast, to coffee with "syrup", there are some obvious triggers. But if you look further and have some fun with it, there are so many phrases that you could turn into a play-on-words sort of dish.

It's Fat Tuesday! I usually go the route of the Pączki (pron. POONCH-key - aka deep-fried dough filled with jelly or cream and usually dusted in powdered or granulated sugar or dipped in glaze), but this year I veered off course a bit.

I should interject and state the fact that I am not Catholic, so really the fact that I choose Pączki's today is more of a nod to the significance of Mardi Gras (which translates to Fat Tuesday) than an actual way to use up all of the richer, fattier foods in my cupboard before the season of Lent begins. A practice which I admire the cultural and religious importance of.

I thought about perhaps making a King Cake instead - which would be a first (um, almost ashamed to admit that I've never even tried one). But I've had a lot going on lately, and time has not been on my side. Cocktails, however, ARE on my side. And I figured that a cocktail with the flavors of King Cake is the next best thing. I'm also guessing that a lot of people choose to give up alcohol for Lent, so this can be a final hurrah, as well.

As it should be, these are far too easy to drink - so be careful. They're pure alcohol. Unless you count the pinch of cinnamon.

King Cake-tini {cocktail}

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage alcohol vodka Mardis Gras Southern

Ingredients (1 cocktail)

4 oz. Cake Vodka
1 oz. Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec
1 oz. Irish Cream

extras:

cinnamon, for dusting
green, purple, and gold/yellow sanding sugar, for rim

Instructions

Wet the rim of a martini glass. Dip a third of the rim into each color of sugar.

Combine all three liquors in a cocktail shaker with a couple cubes of ice. Shake well and strain into prepared martini glass. Sprinkle a small pinch of cinnamon over the top.

Enjoy!

slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine, Jan/Feb 2013

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Next year will be the year that I finally get my act together and plan accordingly... and actually make a batch of Pączki's. You know, so that I can cross them off "my list".

I hope.

Okay, it's official...I can't not get a Pączki on Fat Tuesday. Check out this awesome tower made of Pączki - it was even leaning a bit. Totally hilarious!