For many, Thanksgiving dinner is all about sitting down to a hearty meal with the ones you love. For others, it's about the booze — lots, and lots of booze.
If you're one of those people who'd rather down a few drinks than chat with your great-uncle about what you majored in in college, then we've got five very special treats for you.
See also: 13 Thanksgiving Commute Survival Tips From Arya Stark
Mashable teamed up with Brooklyn bartender and food blogger Mallory Lance of Mallory's Kitchen to turn a turkey dinner into unique cocktails. And yes, real turkey is involved.
Ingredients: Wild Turkey rye, muddled turkey bouillon, brown sugar cubes, bitters, lemon juice, rosemary simple syrup, thyme.
Directions: Muddle 1/2 teaspoon of turkey bouillon and one brown sugar cube with a couple dashes of bitters. Add 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 1/2 oz. rosemary clove simple syrup*, and 2 oz. Wild Turkey Rye. Shake vigorously over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a sprig or two of thyme.
*Rosemary Clove Simple Syrup: Combine 1 cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 1/4 cups water in a saucepan. Add two to three sprigs of fresh rosemary and 1 tsp. whole cloves. Stir well, bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain out the rosemary and cloves and store in a glass bottle with a fresh sprig of rosemary.
Ingredients: Hendrick's gin, haricot verts (French green beans), lime juice, simple syrup*, haricot vert, almond slivers.
Directions: Muddle three raw haricot verts until nearly liquefied and add to a cocktail shaker. Add 1 oz. simple syrup, 1 oz. fresh lime juice and 2 oz. gin. Add ice, shake and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with two haricot verts and almond slivers.
*Simple Syrup: Combine equal parts water and white sugar in a small sauce pan, heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool before using.
Ingredients: Potato vodka, puréed potatoes, unsalted butter, salt, dill, black pepper.
Directions: Peel and chop one baking potato into one-inch cubes. Place in a small pot and add enough water to submerge potatoes. Boil until tender.
Strain out most of the water, reserving about 1/4 cup and purée the potatoes completely in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add 2 tbsp. of butter and salt to taste. Allow to cool.
In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz. potato vodka and 2 heaping teaspoons of potato puree. Add ice and shake vigorously until the glass is frosty. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with dill and black pepper.
Ingredients: Whiskey, butternut squash purée, apple purée, rosemary clove simple syrup, lemon, rosemary.
Directions: Peel and chop half of a small butternut squash and half an apple into one-inch cubes. Place squash in a small pot and add enough water to cover it. Boil until tender.
Strain out most of the water, reserving about 1/4 cup. purée the squash and apple completely using either a standing blender or an immersion blender. Stir in 2 tsp. brown sugar and allow to cool completely.
In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz whiskey, one heaping teaspon of butternut squash apple puree, 1 oz. rosemary clove simple syrup and 1 oz. lemon juice. Shake and strain into a saucer and granish with a sprig of rosemary.
Instructions: Tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, Cointreau triple sec, cranberry juice, whole cranberries.
Directions: If making cranberry juice from scratch: Add 2 cups fresh cranberries, 2 cups water, an orange peel and 1/2 cup sugar to a pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Strain out cranberries and allow to cool completely.
In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz. tequila, 1 oz. lime juice, 1/2 oz. simple syrup, 1/2 oz. Cointreau and 1 oz. cranberry juice. Shake and strain into a saucer and garnish with cranberries. Feel free to add crushed ice if you'd like.
Ingredients: Bourbon, pumpkin spice syrup, bitters, orange peel.
Directions: Add 2 oz. bourbon, 3/4 oz. pumpkin spice syrup and a few dashes of aromatic bitters to a Boston shaker. Stir with a bar spoon for one full minute, then strain over a large ice cube. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.
Ingredients: Freshly brewed espresso, pumpkin spice syrup, milk, cinnamon, whipped cream topping (optional).
Directions: Brew the espresso, using a french press if possible. Use 4 tablespoons of ground espresso to 2/3 cups water for two lattes. Steam the milk. Pour the espresso and pumpkin spice syrup into the steamed milk and add a dash of cinnamon to the top.
To see more of Lance's delicious creations, follow her on Instagram at @Mallory Lance.
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Image: Mallory Lance