Here’s a quickie post for your Holiday pleasure – a favorite of mine, since introduced to it by some of my Cuban-American co-workers during the days before Christmas (when no one really cares if you’re a tad shit-faced at work!) – Oops! Did I say that out loud?

Crema de Vie (Cuban Eggnog)

1 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 – 6 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup rum (or to taste – use light or dark rum, your preference)
(I used nearly 2 cups, but that’s just the kind of girl I am!)

Combine water and sugar and boil for 3 – 4 minutes until it becomes syrupy. Let cool slightly.

Whisk egg yolks till frothy. Add both milks and vanilla extract to yolks. Whisk well. Add the still-hot syrup in a thin stream while still whisking. Add rum. Mix well again. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or coffee filter. Pour into one or more decorative bottles with tight seal. Refrigerate.

Serve in small apéritif-style glasses… okay…who am I kidding? Serve in whatever glasses you want with a light grating of fresh nutmeg (optional). Just be forewarned – the stuff is addicting and potent!

This is the only recipe I know of where you can fool with the egg quantity. Just depends on how yellow & eggy you like your eggnog. I’ve seen recipes calling for up to 8 egg yolks, but that’s too close to “American” eggnog for this style, in my opinion.

*Variation: Add a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk, combine thoroughly, and you’ll get the Puerto Rican version of this holiday classic: Coquita. Adjust rum accordingly, if necessary. Also, muy delicioso!

The Crema de Vie is best made well ahead of time – my co-worker’s mother makes this in early November! But it will be extremely delicious even after just a few hours and ice-cold.

Enjoy – and Happy Holidays to All!

Come in! Make yourself… umm… comfortable. Heh heh heh! May I offer you a cocktail? How about a nice Black Martini with Devil’s Eyeballs? BWAAHAHAHAHA!

For the Black (Espresso) Martinis you’ll need:

2 cups prepared espresso
2 cups black vodka or espresso-flavored vodka
1 cup Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)

Dissolve the sugar into the hot espresso and chill. Combine the espresso with the remaining ingredients. Chill well and serve in chilled martini glasses.

Alternatively, fill a cocktail shaker half-full with ice, add espresso mixture, shake well, and strain into chilled martini glasses.

Makes about 8 servings.

*Note: You can make the martinis a couple of days ahead, if you like. The advantage, other than time-savings, is that the flavors meld further and the drink concentrates a little, enabling the Devil’s Eyeballs to float menacingly in the cocktail!

For the Devil’s Eyeballs you’ll need:

1 can lychee fruit, drained
1 small bottle maraschino cherries, drained (not jumbo-sized)
chocolate chips (preferably semi-sweet)

Blot the lychees and cherries with paper towel to dry a bit.

For each eyeball, insert one cherry, stem-end up, into a lychee. Take a chocolate chip and press the point into the cherry stem dimple. For best effect, it should turn a little sideways for that creepy, evil, cat-like pupil.

Great way to get your Halloween party guests in the proper spirit – enjoy!