While I am relaxing in balmy 73 degree weather here in Valparaíso, my Wesleyan counterparts are chilling in a 45 degree rainstorm in Middletown.  Sounds like winter is coming to Wesleyan, or from what I hear about the snowpocalypse, “fall” doesn’t exist anymore. Either way, it’s almost time for holiday parties, which of course means holiday drinks. Here are a few recipes—straight from South America—to spice up your holiday drinks repertoire because we can’t drink eggnog all December long.

 

Vino Navegado

This is a great drink for cold weather.  When I first arrived in Chile, it was the middle of winter and my host mom served this at almost every meal.

-One liter of red wine

-Three or four cinnamon sticks (or cloves depending on your taste)

-One or two oranges, sliced, with skin but without seeds

-Three or four tablespoons of sugar

Heat the wine, sugar, and spices over a low flame. When it just begins to boil, add the orange slices then let it boil again. Don’t over-boil the wine or all of the alcohol will evaporate and it will be really bitter.  Serve in mugs.

 

Pisco sour

Some people call this the national drink of Chile, although apparently it’s originally from Perú. This is a subject of dispute because the two countries aren’t exactly on the best of terms. Anyway, you’re supposed to make this drink with egg whites, which kind of grosses me out, so only add them if you want the drink to be really foamy.  Also, I hope you can find pisco at Metro. It’s a type of brandy that I had never heard of before I got to Chile.

-Pisco

-Lemon juice (fresh-squeezed lemons are best, lime juice will also work)

-Ice

-Sugar

Put everything in a blender and mix.  Adjust the amount of alcohol, sugar, and juice to your taste.

 

Terremoto

The name of this drink means “earthquake” in Spanish, which is a perfect example of a Chilean sense of humor; natural disaster, name a drink after it.

– One liter of white wine (in Chile they use pipeño, which is made from young green grapes but doesn’t seem to exist outside the country)

–  A few scoops of pineapple sherbet

–  There are endless variations on this drink: you can add curacao, fernet, or grenadine to make it sweeter or more bitter depending on what you want.

Put the wine in a pitcher, add the ice cream, mix, and serve. Watch out because these drinks seem to sneak up on you.

 

Fanta-Schop

I hesitate to put this drink on the list because it’s actually kind of awful. But it is very Chilean so I thought I would include it. Even though they don’t sell Cristal or Escudo beer in the States, Keystone, or Natty Ice is a good substitute.

-Cheap, watery beer

-Orange Fanta (the only kind of Fanta in this country)

Mix the two together. That’s it. People drink these a lot in bars before soccer games. Welcome to Chile.

Happy holidays!