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When the weather outside is frightful, a chest-warming cocktail can be delightful.

So put the cocktail shaker on the shelf, set the kettle on the stove and take some advice from several of Salt Lake City's most creative bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts, who are heating up menus with winter drinks — and recipes. (See below.)

At Table X, one of Salt Lake City's newest restaurants, there is The Last Toddy, a new interpretation of the traditional winter drink, this one made with Jack Rabbit Gin from Utah's Beehive Distilling and St. Germaine elderflower liqueur. The drink gets additional herbal flavors — and a yellow-green tint — thanks to the addition of fire. A sprig of rosemary and green chartreuse are lit in the glass before adding the other ingredients.

"Hot toddies are not usually made with gin," said Nick Fahs, one of three chefs and co-owners. "But we were looking for a new interpretation. That's the whole idea for our restaurant: taking a classic and flipping it."

At East Liberty Tap House, bartender Tracy Gomez has a passion for tequila and decided to include the Mexican spirit in holiday wassail that includes three types of juice — apple, cranberry and orange — and seasonal spices.

"It sounds kind of odd, but it's quite delicious," she said.

For this drink, skip the gold or "mixto" tequilas, which are less expensive, but have added colors and flavorings, she said. At East Liberty, the drink is made with reposado, or rested tequila, that has been aged in barrels between two and 11 months.

Gomez said while the tendency at home is to make a strong cocktail with more than 1.5 ounces of booze, too much alcohol in warm liquid can create an off taste.

"In a hot drink, the alcohol is amplified," she said, suggesting that 1 ounce of booze for a 5-ounce cocktail creates the right balance.

The tequila wassail is just one of four hot cocktails at East Liberty this winter; the others are tea and gin with rose syrup and milk, coffee with rum and Kahlua, and hot cocoa with green chartreuse.

In Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest, the London Fog — the drink, not the raincoat — is a nonalcoholic winter favorite made by combining Earl Grey tea and steamed milk.

Salt Lake City's Copper Common gives the drink a Utah twist — and some gin — with its Mersey Fog. The drink is a combination of gin, Earl Grey tea, house-made agave syrup, vanilla almond milk and vanilla. Bartender Sam Wood created the recipe for his girlfriend, who is lactose intolerant.

It's Copper Common's first foray into hot drinks, said bar manager Adam Bagby, but guests can expect additional warm cocktails in the future.

Bagby's tip for home bartenders: Don't pour hot drinks into cold vessels. "Prime the glass a bit," he said, by filling it with hot water for a minute or so. Empty it before mixing your drink.

Simple syrups are another trick to elevate cocktails. While they are easy to make at home, for those who'd rather skip the extra step, there are Fizzbloom Botanical Syrups, made with natural herbs, cane sugar and stevia. They can be used in cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks.

The Salt Lake City company, which launched last May, offers three flavors: elderflower, a light floral/fruity syrup with a honeylike flavor; double rose made from petals steeped with cardamom, Tahitian vanilla and rose water; and ginger.

"The first time I had a cocktail with St. Germain, it was life-changing," said owner Dianne Swan. "I couldn't believe that flavor came from a flower."

She set about making her own.

For a winter cocktail, Swan suggests making a hot toddy with the ginger syrup; a wildflower grog, with chamomile tea, elderflower syrup and brandy or cognac; or a bourbon black tea with rose syrup and Grand Marnier.

Swan said Fizzbloom syrups are concentrated, so only about an ounce — or 3 tablespoons — is needed per drink. And once the bottle is opened, it lasts up to four months in the refrigerator. A 25-ounce bottle is $18 and is available at Downtown Winter Market at Rio Grande, Boozetique, The Store, Urban Farm and Feed and several local distilleries.

kathys@sltrib.com

Mersey Fog

Tea and agave simple syrup:

4 standard Earl Grey tea bags

1 cup boiling water

1 cup agave syrup

Cocktail:

1 1/2 ounces London dry gin, such as Beefeater

3/4 ounce vanilla almond milk

3/4 ounce tea and agave simple syrup (from recipe above)

Boiling water

To make the simple syrup, place tea bags in 1 cup boiling water. Steep for 20 minutes. Remove bags from liquid and stir in agave syrup. Chill and store until ready to use.

To make the cocktail, prime a serving glass with boiling water; once the glass is hot, empty it. In the heated glass, combine gin, almond milk and simple syrup. Top with boiling water. Let stand until temperature is safe.

Servings • 1

Source: Copper Common

The Last Toddy

3/4 ounce Green Chartreuse liqueur

1 (2 to 3 inch) sprig fresh rosemary

1 ounce Beehive Jack Rabbit Gin

3/4 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur

3/4 ounce lime juice

Place the rosemary in the bottom of a tempered glass mug or other flameproof container (no plastic). Add green chartreuse. Using a long lighter, light the rosemary in the glass. (The alcohol in the green chartreuse will burn.) When the flame has fully extinguished, add gin, St. Germain and lime juice to the glass. Top with hot water.

Words of caution • Be careful when lighting flames near alcohol. Use a long lighter to prevent burns or singed eyebrows. Clean up any spills or drips that could accidentally ignite. Place caps on all bottles of alcohol and move them away from the prep area. Always wait until the flame is fully extinguished before drinking. Restrict your stunt bartending to times when you're sober. If you've already had a few drinks, don't play with fire.

Servings • 1

Source: Table X

Tequila Wassail

24 ounces apple cider

4 ounces cranberry juice

2 ounces orange juice

3 cinnamon sticks

2 orange slices

2 lemon slices

1 to 2 dozen whole cloves

8 ounces reposado tequila, divided

Orange slices for garnish

In a slow cooker, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, orange juice and cinnamon sticks. Pierce orange and lemon slices with 6 to 10 whole cloves. Add to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Heat on low temperature until warmed.

For each cocktail, add 1 ounce of tequila to a 5-ounce tea cup. Add wassail to fill the cup. Garnish with orange slice, if desired.

Servings • 8

High West's Western Cider

1 ounce High West Double Rye Whiskey

1 ounce Calvados apple brandy

2 ounces hot cider

1/2 ounce honey syrup

1/4 ounce lemon juice

2 dashes cinnamon tincture

Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Place all the ingredients in a glass and stir. Pour into a warmed mug. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Servings • 1

Source: High West Whiskey

­ —

Wildflower Grog

8 ounces freshly brewed chamomile tea

1 1/2 ounces Fizzbloom elderflower syrup

1 1/2 ounces brandy or cognac

1/4 to 1/2 ounce lemon juice

Lemon slice, for garnish

Combine all the ingredients in a large, warmed mug with a thin slice of lemon.

Servings • 1

Bourbon black tea with rose syrup

8 ounces freshly brewed black tea

3/4 ounce Fizzbloom rose syrup

3/4 ounce Grand Marnier

3/4 ounce bourbon

Combine all the ingredients in a large, warmed mug.

Servings • 1

Spiked Slow Cooker Peppermint Hot Chocolate

5 cups coconut milk

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup sugar

8 ounces vanilla vodka

4 ounces peppermint Schnapps

1 bag of peppermint-flavored marshmallows (Dandies brand suggested)

In a slow cooker turned on low, whisk together all ingredients except marshmallows. Let sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Once thoroughly warm, ladle into mugs and top with peppermint marshmallows.

Servings • 6 to 8 servings

Source: Chef Chelsie Jangord, Dandies Marshmallows

Where to find winter cocktails

Copper Common • 111 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-355-0543 or coppercommon.com

East Liberty Tap House • 850 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City; 801-441-2845 or eastlibertytaphouse.com

Fizzbloom • Available at Downtown Winter Market at Rio Grande, Boozetique, The Store, Urban Farm and Feed and several local distilleries. Details at fizzbloom.com or 801-558-6347.

Table X • 1457 E. 3350 South, Salt Lake City; 385-528-3712 or tablexrestaurant.com —

Where to find winter cocktails

Copper Common • 111 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-355-0543 or coppercommon.com

East Liberty Tap House • 850 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City; 801-441-2845 or eastlibertytaphouse.com

Fizzbloom • Available at Downtown Winter Market at Rio Grande, Boozetique, The Store, Urban Farm and Feed and several local distilleries. Details at fizzbloom.com or 801-558-6347.

Table X • 1457 E. 3350 South, Salt Lake City; 385-528-3712 or tablexrestaurant.com