Poultry including turkey is a great source of the amino acid L-tryptophan - a chain molecule so acute in its effects that a single gram can cause a delay in sleep latency. So if you find yourself nodding off during the Dr Who Xmas Special - you can blame the tryptophan not the triple amaretto you over-generously poured yourself.
For those of us anxious to stay awake to be disappointed by the Dr Who Xmas Special we’re going to need a post prandial stimulant. Coffee should suffice here, I don’t want a repeat of the Xmas where I made space at the table for three last minute Russian guests only to overhear one of them say “Нет, Виталий, мы не принимаем амфетамины до окончания банкета.”
I’ll never quite get the appeal of the Espresso Martini. Who wants to drink cold coffee? I recommend that we normal hot coffee drinkers have a delicious Liqueur Coffee to perk us up at some point after the pudding and before the cheese board.
What is it?
Liqueur coffee is sweetened coffee with a measure of alcoholic spirit added and cream floated on the top.
When I was younger I didn’t need coffee. If I was tired, I simply took a nap. Parenthood and the 9-to-5 grind removed this privilege, so I (like so many others) became slave to the bean - if only to stop the embarrassment of nodding off at the office desk while my hydrated caffeinated Gen Z colleagues giggle at the elder-millennial drooling in his keyboard.
These days I have a mug most days to fight the existential fatigue but, if I have one after 3pm, I’ll fall asleep fine at night and then awake suddenly in the wee hours and be unable to get back to sleep for an hour.
People who know more about coffee might disagree but personally I think freeze dried instant is fine for our purpose here - you’re going to add sugar and put a glug of grog in it anyway so save your finest Arabica whole beans for Boxing Day morning and go for Gold Blend instead.
Pro tip: Adding sugar makes it easier to float the cream. Pour single cream over the back of a spoon and it will form a distinct layer on the top of the coffee.
Any old cupboard booze can liven up a coffee. I’ll be going for Armagnac - as I’ll have some on hand to light the pudding. Liqueur Coffees are named after the country where (approximately) the bottle you choose originates. So mine is a French Coffee, someone taking rum will be drinking a Jamaican Coffee, Irish Coffee made with Jameson’s or Bushmills depending on whether you're Catholic or Protestant, Vitaly definitely doesn’t need a Russian Coffee but if he did it would be made with Vodka.
Teetotal Alternative: I don’t want to seem unimaginative here but I’m just going to go with coffee.
What are you splashing into your Xmas day coffee? Let me know in the comments below or on the social media.
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