Raise a Toast This Thanksgiving

What is Thanksgiving?

For the United States, Thanksgiving Day falls on the last Thursday of November. The first national day of Thanksgiving was declared on November 18, 1777 when Continental Congress held a bountiful feast to celebrate harvest.  Now, this tradition remains a yearly celebration where Americans share a meal with their families, celebrating the year's blessings and harvests with their favorite foods, drinks, and desserts.

Why is Thanksgiving celebrated?

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that is celebrated simply to show appreciation to family and friends. Families sit around the dinner table, reminding each other of what they're thankful for and what each person means to them.

How is Thanksgiving celebrated?

Traditionally, Thanksgiving dinner includes roasted turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, and pumpkin pie. Each of these foods came from their plentiful harvest of the year and sets an example of what the colonists had to be thankful for.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a variety of different events. For example, some American families will attend a church service in the morning. Then, their are Thanksgiving parades and festivals all over town to gather with friends. Next, there are sporting events, such as football, that families gather around the living room to watch together. Finally, Thanksgiving dinner is comes and can include anything from duck, goose, seafood, ham, sweet, potatoes, peas, or even fancy cocktails.

What are some Thanksgiving cocktails to celebrate with?

1. Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ice
• 1.5 oz. pumpkin pie filling
• 1.5 oz. Pusser's Gunpowder Proof Spiced
• 1.5 oz. half-and-half
• 1.5 oz. jigger milk
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Instructions:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, pumpkin pie filling, spiced rum, half-and-half, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Cover shaker and shake.
• Pour into a martini glass.

2. Hot Buttered Cider

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Pusser's Blue Label
• 2-3 oz unfiltered apple cider
• 1 tbs spiced butter
• grated nutmeg (for garnish)

Instructions:

• To make spiced butter, first steam unsalted butter until it dissolves. Add 3 oz. orgeat, 3 oz. maple syrup, 1 tsp pumpkin spice, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of cloves, and a pinch of cinnamon.
• Heat in a pot to combine, then add rum, and apple cider.
• Miz until combine, then serve.

3. Extra Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Pusser's Aged 15 Years
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• orange peel
• orange slice
• maraschino cherry

Instructions:

• In a mixing glass, lightly muddle the orange peel with the rum and the sugar.
• Remove peel. Add bitters and ice; stir until chilled.
• Pour over fresh ice in an old fashioned glass with the orange slice garnish and a cherry.

Raise a Toast this Thanksgiving

Wherever you are in the world, raise a toast this Thanksgiving. We all have plenty to be thankful for. From friends and family, to community and progress... celebrate what you're thankful for. Show your appreciation for your loved ones and all this year has brought you. And who really needs a special occasion to raise a glass of Pusser's anyway? Up Spirits! Happy Thanksgiving.