Have a drink with Old St. Nick

Old St. Nick with frosty ice crystals and a toasted marshmallow garnish. (Photo by Kay Stephens)

CAMDEN—After all of the gifts are unwrapped, the leftovers are put away and the hoopla dies down, it’s time for the adult equivalent of that last little bit of chocolate or candy cane in the bottom of your stocking. It can be found in Old St. Nick, a deliciously frosty cocktail crafted at Hoxbill in Camden Harbor.

Beverage Director Marcus Carter collaborated on the invention of this drink just in time for the holidays.

Upon the first swig, it’s an arctic blast of peppermint, followed by the sweet crunch of candy cane and rounded out by creamy maple. Then, take a bite of gooey toasted marshmallow—the cocktail’s garnish. 

It is a jolly, jolly sip—and meant to be savored, preferably by a roaring fire.
This cocktail takes a bit of preparation. First the rim of a martini glass is dipped in melted chocolate. After putting a candy cane in a Ziploc bag and smashing it down to granules with a hammer, Carter then dips the rim a second time, so the glass comes away coated with chunky, swirly bits.

“People are loving it,” said Carter.  “It is a dessert drink, however, not typically one you’d start out with. People are coming in after they’ve had dinner at home and giving it a try. Or after a meal here,  instead of dessert, this caps off the night with a sweet finish.”
Watch the video to see how the cocktail is made. You’ll need:

• 2 oz grain vodka such as Ice Pik
• 1 oz. Vermont Ice Maple Créme
• 6 drops peppermint extract
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• ½ oz. chocolate sauce
• Toast a marshmallow and spear with garnish pick
  

 Add components into a shaker full of ice. Shake until ice crystals form and pour the drink neat, into the martini glass, and present with marshmallow.

Make the cocktail yourself this holiday week or have it made for you. Hoxbill is not open on December 25, but will be open the following day.

Related: See some of our past holiday cocktails.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com