BEAUTIFUL CHOCOLATE, WINE, AND BEER RECIPES TO BOOST YOUR MEMORY NOW!

3. SPARKLING & SPICED WINTER SANGRIA WITH GINGER, CRANBERRIES, BLACK PEPPER, & CITRUS

Good wine is a perfect symphony -- so perfect it would be tragic to mix anything into it. But then, there is a whole stratum of wines that are good in a different way. They offer a foundation for cocktails, as bold as a pitcher of sangria.

We found a wild spicy, spin on this Spanish wine punch. Packed with an extra pow of antioxidants and flavor, thanks to the cranberries, black pepper and citrus, Sparkling and Spiced Winter Sangria, by Elana Lepkowski, of Stir and Strain, is a recipe worth remembering for the holidays. Substitute a red Zinfandel for the Cava, for extra memory boosts.

Get the recipe here.

4. VALENTINE’S DAY SPARKLER

Award winning mixologist, Trudy Thomas, likes to create wine cocktails with Yellow Tail wines. Yellow Tail Sparkling Rosé, with its berry, cherry notes makes a beautiful base for her Valentine’s Day Sparkler. Elderflower liqueur, cranberry juice, and orange bitters take it to a whole new level. Rachel Kuptz, of Girly Drinks, mixed up a batch so beautiful, it can tempt you any day.

Get the recipe here.

5. MULLED WINE

Chef Adam Gray’s Mulled Wine takes a centuries old recipe and adds even more dimension, with the addition of orange juice, peach schnapps, juniper berries, bay leaf, and more... It’s a bit of alchemy, really.

Get the recipe here.

6. RED WINE POACHED PEARS

Red Wine Poached Pears are a classic French dessert we crave at least once every Autumn. These, by Raymund, of Ang Sarap, call for a good Zinfandel and vanilla beans for a round, mellowness.

Get the recipe here.

BEER

Hops are chock full of Xanthohumol, a flavonoid with powerful antioxidants. Recent studies, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, showed them to have neuroprotective qualities that can help protect us from a host of memory-robbing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

7. THE FROSTY MONK BEER COCKTAIL

The Frothy Monk Beer Cocktail, by Gennefer Gross, of Tasty Beautiful, is a nostalgic sip. Inspired by visions of Charles Dickens sitting by the fire with a pewter mug of something velvety, this beer concoction “coats the bones and warms the heart with a dash of whimsy, reminiscent of the time of year when anything seems possible.”

It starts with Westmalle Tripel, a traditional trappist ale, then adds layers of cardamom & cinnamon-infused rum, and silky Morenita Cream Sherry, fortified and frothed with an egg.

Get the recipe here.

8. CHOCOLATE COFFEE STOUT

Want to add some extra brain food to your beer? Brew a batch of Chocolate Coffee Stout. Scott, of Bertus Brewery, tells you how. Perfect for a dark cozy night as you bask in firelight, as you reminisce about something sweet and lovely.

9. KENTUCKY DERBY COCKTAIL

Beer mixed with Bourbon, strawberries, and mint?? This is a cocktail with the Kentucky Derby in mind. It’s kind of like a mint julep gone rogue.

The Kentucky Derby Beer Cocktail, by Natalie Migliarini, of Beautiful Booze, calls for Two Beers Trailhead India-style Session Ale, a local microbrew, made right in Migliarini’s Seattle neighborhood.

Get the recipe here.

10. STOUT MARSHMALLOWS

It’s hard to imagine how/why someone ever thought to add beer to a marshmallow recipe. It’s hard to imagine how incredibly good these are. It’s a good thing these Stout Marshmallows, by Mariana McEnroe, of Yes, More Please, are super easy to make -- so you don’t have to imagine.

Dark Beer (Stout) adds an earthiness, while dark chocolate drizzles deepen the experience. Crushed salted pretzel sprinkles will make you say, “Wow!”

Get the recipe here.

Read more about Beautiful Memories, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 New Books Explore the Beauty of Memories Now and The Beauty of Light’s Memories Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Ian McEnroe, of Yes, More Please. Cherry and Cacao Nib Brownies.
2. Image: by Bobby Neptune. Courtesy of USAID's Development Credit Authority. Juanita with her Cocoa Bean.
3. Image: by Ian McEnroe, of Yes, More Please. Cherry and Cacao Nib Brownies.
4. Image: by Barb Kiebel, of Creative Culinary. Chocolate Chili Russian.
5. Image: by Matt and Martin. Cluster.
6. Image: by Elana Lepkowski, of Stir and Strain. Sparkling and Spiced Winter Sangria with Ginger, Cranberries, Black Pepper and Citrus.
7. Image: by Elana Lepkowski, of Stir and Strain. Sparkling and Spiced Winter Sangria with Ginger, Cranberries, Black Pepper and Citrus.
8. Image: by Rachel Kuptz, of Girly Drinks. [yellow tail] wine cocktails.
9. Image: Courtesy of Adam Gray. Mulled Wine.
10. Image: by Raymund, of Ang Sarap. Red Wine Poached Pears.
11. Image: by Steven Guzzardi. Night Shift Flight.
12. Image: by Gennefer Gross, of Tasty Beautiful. Frothy Monk.
13. Image: by Scott, of Bertus Brewery. Chocolate Coffee Stout Beer.
14. Image: by Natalie Migliarini, of Beautiful Booze. Kentucky Derby Cocktail.
15. Image: by Ian McEnroe, of Yes, More Please. Stout Marshmallows.
16. Image: by Ian McEnroe, of Yes, More Please. Stout Marshmallows.
17. Image: by Peter Arthold. Poached Red Wine Pears.
18. Image: by BN App - Download now!
19. Image: by Julie Blaustein. Poached Pears in Red Wine Sauce.