How does a breathalyzer work?

How does a breathalyzer work

How does a breathalyzer work?

Usually when you hear about people getting DUI’s, there will be some reference to the blood alcohol content (BAC) of the driver. If their blood alcohol content is over the legal limit of the state they are driving in, they are charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI.) But just how do cops at the scene measure BAC? Are they taking blood tests in the field?

Cops use a device called a breathalyzer to measure a person’s blood alcohol content. A breathalyzer is a device that tests your breath to determine how intoxicated you are.

How does a breathalyzer work? Why test?

Cops needed a way to test BAC in the field that was practical. Sure, they could use urine or blood tests, but how would they do that on the side of the highway while pulling someone over? And with blood tests, they had to think about how to take blood in a sterile manner and the legal implications of such an invasive test. In the 1940’s, the breathalyzer was invented.

How does a breathalyzer work?  Alcohol and your body.

Alcohol gets absorbed into your blood stream after you ingest it. Then, when the blood goes through the lungs, some of the alcohol moves across the membranes of the lung’s air sacs into the air, because alcohol will evaporate from a solution. So the amount of alcohol in the air sacs is proportional to the amount of alcohol in the blood stream.  When the air in the air sacks is exhaled, you can test the air and figure out how much alcohol is in the blood stream. The proportion of breath alcohol to blood alcohol is 2,100:1. This means that 2100 ml of air from the air sacks will have the same amount of alcohol in it as 1ml of blood.

How does a breathalyzer work? Legal limits.

In many states, the legal limit is 0.08 BAC. This means you have 0.08 grams of alcohol in your system per 100 ml of blood. If your BAC is higher than that and you are considered too impaired to drive, you can be arrested.

How does a breathalyzer work? Chemical reaction.

The breathalyzer uses a chemical reaction involving alcohol to test a suspect’s breath. The suspect breathes into the device and the air goes into a solution of chemicals. The chemicals change color when they react to the alcohol. The degree of color change is proportional to the amount of alcohol in the air that was in the air. The device then produces an electric current in response to the amount of color change which causes the needle in the meter to move from its resting place.  The operator then rotates a knob to bring the needle back to the resting place and reads the level of alcohol from the knob — the more the operator must turn the knob to return it to rest, the greater the level of alcohol.

How does a breathalyzer work? Accuracy.

The reading on a breathalyzer can vary up to 0.01 g/dl in any direction. Breathalyzers actually don’t measure blood alcohol content directly; they measure the alcohol on your breath and attempt to estimate your BAC. Only a blood test can give a truly accurate reading of blood alcohol level.  Factors such as vomit or blood in the mouth, body temp and blood composition, and the presence of chemicals that are similar to alcohol can skew the results.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled

Drugs smuggled in corpse

Drugs smuggled in corpse

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled

Drug smugglers will do almost anything to sneak drugs across state, country, and prison borders. Getting drugs across borders means wider distribution, the ability to demand a higher price, and ultimately more profits. However, drug smugglers have  resorted to some crazy methods to get their product in the hands of drug users.

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled: Pot Catapult

Last year, National Guard officials noticed smugglers setting up and using a pot catapult to get their product across the Mexico-Arizona border fence. The smugglers fled before they could get caught, but Mexican officials seized the catapult along with 45 pounds of marijuana. This is certainly not the most sophisticated smuggling operation in history, but I had to laugh at the idea of pounds of pot flying through the air.

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled: Carrier Pigeons

Columbian police captured a carrier pigeon trying to fly into a prison with marijuana and cocaine strapped to its back. Apparently, the bird had trouble clearing the wall with its heavy load. This isn’t the only time birds have been used to smuggle or for drug related purposes. Apparently, some other carrier pigeons had been caught bringing SIM cards for cell phones into the same prison. In 2010, a parrot named Lorenzo was “arrested” after being found to be tipping off traffickers at a drug warehouse in Barranquilla.

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled: Condoms and Anal Lube

An oldie, but goodie: swallowing drug filled condoms. This remains one of the most popular ways to smuggle drugs.  Drug mules numb their throats and swallow a bunch of latex condoms containing drugs. They then take laxatives to, um, expel the drugs when they reach their destination. Sounds pretty painful to me! Not to mention, the condom could break open in your stomach, causing a ton of drugs to hit your system at once. Overdose and death are not uncommon with this type of smuggling.

InThailand, a group of people were arrested for smuggling illegal steroids in packages literally labeled “Gay Lube Oil.”

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled:  Corpses

In Africa, a couple of guys were arrested for smuggling drugs inside a dead body they said was being shipped home for burial. I think most people would prefer their coke without the side of rotting flesh.

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled: Plastics

Some scientists have figured out how to mix cocaine with silicone to make something that looks like fabric. Other forward-thinkers have figured out how to process cocaine into a substance that looks like Plexiglas and can be disguised as CD cases and fish tanks. Pretty smart, but still not smart enough to get past drug-sniffing dogs, who aren’t so easily fooled because they don’t really care what the drugs look like.

The craziest ways drugs have been smuggled: Cocaine Jesus

Drug sniffing dogs at the Mexican border were very interested in a 7 pound Jesus statue in an elderly woman’s trunk, but officials couldn’t find any drugs inside. That’s because the statue was made of drugs. It had been molded out of a mixture of cocaine and plaster and was worth a whopping $200,000. All I know is, if you ever find yourself grinding up the head of Jesus and snorting it, it may be time to reevaluate your life.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Drunk Driving Statistics

Alcohol Drinkign and Driving Stats Chart

Drunk Driving Statistics

Drunk driving or driving while impaired or under the influence of illegal substances is still a major problem for those on and off the road in the United States. According to the CDC in October 2011 there were nearly 11,000 car accident fatalities linked with drunk driving. These drunk driving statistics are related to accidents where at least one driver had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.

The number of drunk driving statistics is still too high and may always be too high. The number of drivers that get behind the wheel after having too much to drink is frightening. The numbers for drunk driving statistics have decreased due to groups such as MADD etc. for example, the 2006 drunk driving statistics still showed about 20% more fatalities than the most recent drunk driving statistics. More drunk driving statistics from the CDC estimated that more than 112 million episodes of drunk driving or alcohol-impaired driving occur every year. Combine this now with other things like texting and driving on dangerous road condition and the number of car accident fatalities can sky rocket.

Some more drunk driving statistics from Madd.org

  • Drivers involved in fatal crashes with a BAC level of .08 or higher in 2010 were 28 percent for motorcycle riders, 23 percent for passenger cars, and 22 percent for light trucks. The percentage of drivers with BAC levels of .08 or higher in fatal crashes was the lowest for large trucks at 2 percent.
  • Over 1.41 million drivers were arrested in 2010 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics
  • About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol are repeat offenders
  • Almost half of all drivers who were killed in crashes and tested positive for drugs also had alcohol in their system

Drunk driving statistics show that young people are most likely to be involved in fatal drunk driving accidents. Young people meaning those aged 21-24. Motorcyclists and drivers that have had a prior conviction for DWI are also more likely. In fatal crashes in 2010, the highest percentage of drunk drivers was for drivers ages 21 to 24 (34 percent), followed by ages 25 to 34 (30 percent) and 35 to 44 (25 percent). These drunk driving statistics are why the government is so harsh on convicted DWI offenses and upping their game on stopping drunk driving from happening. For instance they install more checkpoints on the roads, take away drivers licenses, and install ignition interlock systems into cars or require those convicted to attend drug alcohol treatment.

Drunk driving statistics may be down from 2006 but there are a lot more things that can be done on the individual level to keep the statistics dropping. For instance, if you know you are going to be drinking make sure that you have alternative transportation or that someone who hasn’t been drinking can drive you home. If you know someone has been drinking too much don’t allow them to drive. Take their keys. If you are hosting a party and serving alcohol make sure to remind your guests to drive responsibly. Be sure to offer drinks that don’t contain alcohol so that those who will be driving have something else to drink instead of alcoholic beverages.

Source www.cdc.gov

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Drinker’s Remorse

Drinker's Remorse

Drinker’s Remorse

“Ugh, I am never drinking again.” I say as I touch my fingers to my throbbing temples. “It’s just not worth it.”

I must’ve said those words a hundred times over in my drinking career. The guilt, shame, and/or physical discomfort would keep me away from booze for a couple of days, but inevitably, I’d be back at it again the next weekend. Eventually, my drinking landed me in rehab and then in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, but that’s a different story for a different day.

That feeling I had, I learned later, is known as drinker’s remorse, and it’s pretty common amongst binge drinkers. Binge drinking is defined as having 4 or more drinks in one sitting for women, or 5 or more for men. Drinker’s remorse comes from the either regretting what you did while you we’re wasted, or regretting you drank enough to give you a wicked hangover.

My worst feelings of drinker’s remorse would come when I either remembered something awful I had done while drinking or someone else reminded me of something awful I had done. I’d wake up and think, “Oh shit! What did I do last night?” while frantically trying to piece together the events of the night before. Other times, I’d wake up and be peacefully unaware that anything was amiss, because I had “blacked out” while drinking.  That is, until a friend would call to remind me, and the awful memories would come flooding back. Or until the random guy I had gone home with would turn over in bed and make me aware of his presence. Or I would look at my phone and see who I called or texted while I was wasted.

I hated that feeling of drinker’s remorse. I felt like my heart had dropped into my stomach. My brain would frantically race through thoughts like:

“How bad was I?”

“Did everyone see?”

“Can I sneak this guy out of my apartment before my roommates wake up?”

“Do I still have friends?”

“Do I still have a job?”

and finally

“FUCK!”

The main difference between me and my non-alcoholic friends is that they would have one or two of these mornings of drinker’s remorse, and then they would learn their lesson. They wouldn’t drink that way again. I never learned my lesson. No matter how many times I woke up with drinker’s remorse, no matter how many times I would promise that I would cut down or quit drinking all together, I would be back in the same place a couple of weeks later.

In my experience, drinker’s remorse can be cured in one of three ways:

1. Exercise (In fact, people who exercise regularly get drinker’s remorse less frequently)

2. More liquor (Not always the best choice, but that didn’t stop me!)

3. Resolving the issue you regret (This can’t always be done, but if you can apologize or make up for something you regret, this is the best cure for drinker’s remorse.)

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Hangover Cures: Vitamins

hangover cures vitamins

Hangover Cures: Vitamins

Alcohol not only gets you drunk but it also depletes your body of vital vitamins it needs to function properly. Because alcohol is a diuretic, which is the reason you have to run to bathroom so often when drinking, it ends up flushing everything including your hydration out of your system. That is why one of the most common hangover cures, vitamins is so essential to beating the day after boozing blues.

The most important vitamins that your body loses after a long night of drinking are the B and C vitamins. B meaning, B6, B12 among others. If you want a hangover cure that includes vitamins take something like Thiamine which is a B6 vitamin and Riboflavin which is B2, Folic acid is B6 and B12. You can also find B vitamin complexes to beat the hangover and B vitamin deficiency that include all of the B vitamins you need. The most important B vitamin though, which also gives you energy is B12 also called cobalamin. B12 plays a major role in the functioning of the brain and nervous system. So make sure to include the B12 vitamin in your hangover cure.

For vitamin c, well its one of the most popular vitamins to date. It is in orange juice and most citrus fruits including many vegetables. If you want a powerful vitamin C though for a hangover cure you could choose to use Emergen-C. It is very popular in the United States and is a hit internationally. People also take it for when they are beginning to get sick. So if you want a jam-packed packet of Vitamin C that’s the way to go to use vitamins as a hangover cure.

Caution though, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t really work, there is no proven scientific evidence that this will help with anything but taking vitamins definitely wont hurt you either. The people who really are serious about taking vitamins as hangover cures will take them before they start drinking, after they stop drinking, and during the next day regardless if they have a hangover or not.

Taking a multi-vitamin that has everything you need in it might also be a great vitamin hangover cure. Although, there is not proven evidence behind this on whether or not it really works. Really the best you can do for a hangover is get hydrated. Drink Gatorade or something that has the vitamins in it along with the electrolytes to not only hydrate but also replenish some missing vitamins. Alcohol dehydrates you first and foremost and with that lack of hydration also comes a lack of vitamins so if you can handle drinking some fresh water along with your vitamins chances are it will work great as a hangover cure. Problem with vitamins is you usually should take them with food and during a hangover that isn’t always the best option. So maybe opt for a vitamin filled water for your hangover cure and see what happens as you give your body the drink of water it needs along with some of its basic necessities to function. Vitamins which are a hangover cure.

More Hangover Cures:

Hangover Remedies: Sandwiches

Hangover Remedies: Soups 

Hangover: The Junk Food Remedy

Hangover Cures: Potassium, Carbs and Electrolytes

Healthy Hangover Cures

Hangover Home Remedies

Common Hangover Cures

New Hangover Cures

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Legal Ways to Get High: Energy drinks, Coffee, and Cough Syrup

Legal Ways to Get High: Energy drinks, Coffee, and Cough Syrup

Legal Ways to Get High: Energy drinks, Coffee, and Cough Syrup

It seems the newest trend in getting high is legal drugs. When I was a teen, we gravitated towards booze and pot when we wanted to get sh*t-faced, but today’s youth seems intent on finding the best legal way to get high. We had to wait outside the gas station to bribe a bum to buy us booze. Kids today, however, can walk in and get these “legal” drugs at gas stations, pharmacies, and on the internet with ease. As an added bonus, most of the legal ways to get high will not show up on a drug test.

Legal Ways to Get High: Energy drinks and Coffee

While energy drinks have been around since “Jolt” came out in the mid-80’s, they didn’t get really popular until the early 2000’s. Today, energy drinks are a 10 billion dollar market, and they are mostly marketed to young people.

Energy drinks and coffee both contain the same “high”-inducing chemical-caffeine. However, energy drinks often contain ingredients that enhance the caffeine in the drink. Or they contain guarana, which is a source of caffeine itself.

People don’t usually think of caffeine as a dangerous drug, but some energy drinks contain well over the recommended dose. In fact, the FDA recently confirmed reports that 5-hour energy could be responsible for as many as 13 deaths last year.

This legal way to get high can induce euphoria, but it can also cause nervousness, irritability, insomnia, abnormal heart rhythms and agitation. You can become dependent on energy drinks and coffee, and withdrawal can be a real bummer. So yes, caffeine is one of the legal ways to get high, but the mild euphoria you may feel isn’t really worth it.

Legal Ways to Get High: Cough Syrup

The first time I met someone in rehab who told me he was “in” for cough syrup, I seriously thought he was joking. I was still shaking, coming off of heroin, and totally irritable.

“Is that a real thing?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

Yes.  It was real enough to land him in a 30 day treatment center, anyway.

Cough syrup contains dextromethorphan, aka DXM. If you take it in sufficient quantities, you can hallucinate. I’ve heard you will also likely vomit, but I guess that’s the price you pay for this legal way to get high.

Of course, I always wondered why these people didn’t just take acid or shrooms, but cough syrup is legal, so it’s probably easier to get. I can understand using DXM once, out of curiosity or out of desperation, but I could not believe it would be someone’s drug of choice.

Between the puking, diarrhea, and muscle spasms, this doesn’t sound like a very fun legal way to get high, but to each his own, I guess.  And according to experts, the addiction to DXM is psychological, not physical. Keep in mind, however, you have to take a ton of cough syrup to get high: DXM only becomes a hallucinogen at 12.5 to 75 times the recommended therapeutic dose.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

How to abstain from alcohol

Alcohol Abstinence

How to abstain from alcohol

Learning how to abstain from alcohol can be extremely difficult or it could be extremely easy. It all depends on the person who is trying to remain abstinent. So, if you are looking to refuse any alcoholic beverages either for the next few days or for the rest of your life, here are some ways how to abstain from alcohol.

Find different ways to relax.

A lot of people use alcohol as a way to relax after a long hard day at work or even just as part of a routine on the weekends. This is why finding ways to relax is a great way to abstain from alcohol. Find something else you enjoy doing that will allow you to relax after work or at other times. Some things you can do to relax are: take a hot bath, join a yoga class, exercise, meditate, and use relaxation tapes or Ipod mixes.

Talk back to your thoughts.

If you stay aware of your thoughts you may be able to combat them. So when you start having thoughts run through your mind about mixing a drink, needing a drink or wanting a drink, then talk back! Tell your thoughts to “Be quiet!” or say to yourself “I am not going to drink today so don’t even go there.” Talking back to your thoughts may not always work but it can work for a certain amount of time if you really feel like you want a drink.

Just go with it.

Cravings to drink don’t last forever in fact that come and go rather quickly. When the urge to drink hits you just sit back and observe it and see how quickly it comes and then watch how quickly it leaves.

Get some sleep.

A lot of people overdrink because they can’t get to sleep. Even if you don’t suffer from insomnia or didn’t suffer from insomnia before you started drinking you may find it hard to fall asleep now that you are abstaining from alcohol. Luckily, there are other methods of falling asleep such as using benedryl, melatonin, and valerian root. Exercise can also help with the bedtime blues. If you really can’t get some sleep once you start abstaining from alcohol than maybe see your doctor for prescription sleep aids, which are still better than using alcohol and you don’t have to deal with the hangover.

Find other things to do rather than drink.

The best way to abstain from alcohol is to find activities that you can’t do while drinking and that you find way more enjoyable. For instance you can volunteer for a cause you believe in, create a web site or blog, and write a book, paint, knit, or pretty much anything other than drink. Finding other hobbies or things you liked to do is a great way to abstain from alcohol.

See a therapist.

Some people drink alcohol because of underlying issues. Getting professional help from a therapist may help to deal with issues such as anxiety, depression, OCD, or other conditions that could benefit from therapy and medication. A therapist can help you work through some of your life issues which may be the reason you drink.

There are multiple tools you can use to abstain from alcohol and none of them are necessarily going to make it easy especially if you are the alcoholic type of drinker. Using your own will power can work to abstain from alcohol but it’s going to take work and practice and it is definitely not going to be perfect at first. This is a great way to start abstaining from alcohol.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Hangover Remedies: Sandwiches

Hangover Remedies Sandwiches

Hangover Remedies: Sandwiches

Pounding headache, sour stomach, dry mouth: we all know what it feels like when you wake up after a night of hard drinking. You think to yourself “Maybe I shouldn’t have had that last shot” or “I think it was the long island ice teas” or even “I am never, ever drinking again.” No matter what you figure out or your constant internal promises to take it easy next time, you are still stuck with the hangover. And it’s miserable.

Everyone has their own hangover remedies. They won’t “cure” a hangover, but hangover remedies generally make the hangover more bearable. There are foods you can eat, exercises you can do, OTC meds to try, and even pills, powders, and drinks that are specially formulated to treat a hangover.  Scientists have mostly debunked hangover remedies, saying they don’t really do anything to “cure” the hangover once you have one.

However, there is one hangover remedy that has been shown to work better than all the others: sandwiches; specifically bacon sandwiches.

Hangover Remedies: Why bacon sandwiches work

Food is a big part of most hangover remedies because it can calm the stomach and speed the metabolism so your body can get rid of the booze more quickly. Bacon sandwiches have the added bonus of containing both bacon and bread.

Bacon contains a lot of protein, which breaks down into amino acids. One particular type of amino acid, amine has been shown to be effective in clearing your head after a night of partying.  Binging on alcohol depletes your store of amino acids, so the bacon in the bacon sandwich is a big part of what makes it one of the best hangover remedies.

Bread is great because it contains a lot of carbohydrates. It not only can absorb some of the acid in your stomach when you wake up with a hangover, it also gives you a boost of energy.

The coolest thing about bacon sandwiches? Researchers found that just being in the same room with the cooking bacon helped people with a hangover feel better. The specific, particular amino acids and sugars released into the air when bacon is heated above 150 degrees centigrade have been shown to have a physiological effect on the human body. How cool is that??

Hangover Remedies: Avoiding a hangover

As good as hangover remedies are, it’s always best to try to avoid the hangover all together. The only way to really do that is to limit your drinking. Before you drink, however, have a big protein and carb rich meal. And avoid mixing different types of alcohol. Another good tip: Have a glass of water with each drink. This will keep you hydrated and also probably prevent you from drinking too much. Even if you neglect to do this while you are out, make sure you stay up long enough to drink a full glass before you go to sleep. The other big culprit behind a hangover is lack of sleep, so be sure to get a full nights rest after drinking.

More Hangover Cures:

Hangover Cures: Vitamins

Hangover Remedies: Soups

Hangover: The Junk Food Remedy

Hangover Cures: Potassium, Carbs and Electrolytes

Healthy Hangover Cures

Hangover Home Remedies

Common Hangover Cures

New Hangover Cures

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Hangover Movie: Leaving Las Vegas

Hangover Movie: Leaving Las Vegas

Leaving Las Vegas (1995) is a gritty drama starring Nicholas Cage and Elizabeth Shue. Failed Hollywood screenwriter, Ben (played by Cage) moves to Vegas intending to drink himself to death. He’s lost everything to his drinking. Ben meets hardened prostitute Sera (played by Shue) after almost hitting her while driving drunkenly down the Vegas Strip. They form an uneasy friendship, and she takes him in and cares for him. Leaving Las Vegas was based on a semi-autobiographical novel by author John O’Brian.

Two weeks after production started, O’Brian committed suicide-another sad illustration of the hopelessness of alcoholism. This movie is a must-see if you haven’t already seen it. The acting is outstanding. Cage delivers a performance that is both heart-breaking and authentic, winning both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his part.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Thanksgiving Cocktails

Martha Stewarts Pear Cocktails

Thanksgiving Cocktails

It’s holiday time again! Curl up and relax with one of these holiday drinks featuring the best tastes of the season: pumpkin, apple, cranberry, and ginger. Drinks with heavy cream or egg are also crowd pleasers this time of year, and hot beverages are a great way to warm up on those cold fall evenings. Here are some of our favorite Thanksgiving cocktails:

Thanksgiving Cocktails: Pear-Rosemary Cocktails

Ingredients

6 to 10 Seckel pears

4 cups (32 ounces) vodka

1 cup sugar

12 sprigs fresh rosemary plus more for garnish

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) pear nectar

4 cups (32 ounces) sparkling water

Directions

1. Put enough pears into a 48-ounce glass jar to fill. Add vodka. Seal jar, and let stand at room temperature 2 weeks (up to 2 months).

2. Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add rosemary; remove from heat. Let stand 30 minutes. Discard rosemary. Let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.

3. Fill 12-ounce glasses halfway with ice. Add 4 tablespoons vodka, 2 tablespoons syrup, and 3 tablespoons pear nectar to each. Top with 1/2 cup sparkling water. Serve garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Thanksgiving Cocktails: Apple-Pie Spiced Cider

Ingredients

1 1/4 quarts apple cider

3 tablespoons firmly packed light-brown sugar

7 whole cinnamon sticks, (6 sticks for garnish)

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Ground cloves

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

1/2 cup Calvados or other brandy (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together cider, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat; pour in brandy, if desired. Strain into a pitcher; discard solids. Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

Thanksgiving Cocktails: Pumpkin Pie Martini

Ingredients

2 ounces vanilla vodka

2 ounces white crème de cacao

1/4 cup heavy cream

1.5 tablespoons of pumpkin puree (pie mix)

1 dash of ground nutmeg (for garnish)

Powdered graham cracker (for the rim)

Directions

1. Rim two martini glasses with crushed graham cracker. Fill a shaker with ice and add the vodka, crème de cacao, cream and pumpkin puree. Shake well until it’s chilled. Strain into the martini glasses. Sprinkle the ground nutmeg on top for garnish.

Thanksgiving Cocktails: Caramel Candy

Ingredients

1/2 ounce cognac

3/4 ounce vanilla liqueur

3/4 ounce caramel vodka

1/2 ounce half-n-half

Sugar (for the rim of the glass)

Directions

Rim a cocktail glass with sugar. Shake the ingredients together with ice. Strain them into the glass.

Thanksgiving Cocktails: Mulled White-Wine Sangria

Ingredients

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey, preferably orange-blossom

Zest of 2 lemons, cut into long strips

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

4 whole star anise

4 cinnamon sticks

12 whole cloves

2 bottles dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

1 cup orange Muscat, such as Essencia

1 Golden Delicious apple, cored, halved, and thinly sliced

1 Bartlett pear, cored, halved, and thinly sliced

2 lemons, preferably Meyer, thinly sliced crosswise

12 kumquats, thinly sliced crosswise

Directions

1. Bring water, honey, lemon zest and juice, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.

2. To serve cold: Mix spice mixture, wines, and fruit in a large pitcher. Cover, and refrigerate overnight. Transfer to a large punch bowl, and serve with ice. To serve hot: Heat spice mixture and wines in a large pot over low heat until heated through. Add fruit, and divide among mugs.

Sources:

http://www.marthastewart.com/275138/thanksgiving-cocktail-and-drink-recipes/@center/276949/everything-thanksgiving#285269

http://mixthatdrink.com/top-10-thanksgiving-cocktail-recipes/

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.