Pop In & Sip Awhile officially kicked off in December with our Pickle Martini Night. January brought the “Cozy Cocoa Edition”, and if the first two months are any indication, this gathering already feels like a keeper.
The idea is simple: a casual, drop-in open house featuring one signature drink, no formal invites, no pressure and lots of come-as-you-are energy. We hosted on the Friday night before a frigid ice storm was due to arrive. All week long, everyone was being told to prepare to hunker down and possibly be without power for days, so we truly had no idea how many people might venture out. Turns out, when the threat is staying home, everyone suddenly wants to go out.
We ended up with such a fun group and a real cross section of our lives – Honey’s childhood friends, college friends, neighbors, golf buddies, mahjong friends – exactly the kind of mix we hoped Pop In & Sip Awhile would bring together.
Hot cocoa was the star of the night. I used this homemade hot chocolate recipe (linked here), which we’ve been obsessed with since I first made it last January. For this crowd, I tripled the recipe, made it on the stove, then transferred everything to the crock pot so it stayed warm all evening. I also made a big batch of homemade whipped cream and dug up some pink disposable coffee cups from my stash (last used for an elementary school Valentine’s party), along with a few cute Valentine’s napkins that fit the cozy vibe perfectly. If you read the linked recipe, you’ll see that we usually whip it in our milk frother. To keep things easy and self serve, I put out my immersion blender.
We set out a variety of liquors and liqueurs so guests could customize their mugs. Some went non-alcoholic, some experimented with different combinations, and a few tried multiple versions. The unexpected winners of the night were Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey and peppermint schnapps (separate, not together) both delicious in hot chocolate.
To keep things simple on the food front, I made a batch of my favorite spinach dip and Honey made his salsa. Easy, cozy and perfect for grazing.
There’s no set week or fixed schedule for Pop In & Sip Awhile. The last two times, we’ve simply looked at our calendars, realized we had an open evening, and sent out a text 24-48 hours in advance. Casual, flexible, and very on brand for the spirit of this whole thing.
December: Dixie Dill-ightful Pickle Martini
January: Cozy Cocoa Edition
What I love most already is how low pressure and connection focused it feels. No elaborate planning. No long to-do lists. Just opening the door, pouring something cozy and spending time with people we love.
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