Cut a thin slice of orange peel, leaving very little white attached to the rind. Hold a lighter in one hand and the slice of peel between your thumb and forefinger in the other. With the orange peel hanging down, about 4 inches above the drink, apply the flame to the skin. Slowly squeeze the peel, releasing the oils inside. The oils will briefly ignite, creating a flash of flame that will deposit a caramelized layer of orange oil on the glass and the drink. Yum.

Warm Her Up

This winter, help her take the chill (and edge) off with these simple cocktails

Don’t insult your girlfriend with eggnog. Many women enjoy whisky, too, says master mixologist Dale DeGroff, author of The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks. Here are the perfect winter drinks for her, says DeGroff, because they have two things in common: whisky and spice.

Manhattan East
1 1/2 ounces Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/2 ounce dry sake
2 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
1/2 ounce Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur

Stir the ingredients together and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

Chai Toddy
1 1/2 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 dash of peppermint schnapps
1 teaspoon honey
4 ounces hot chai
1 peppermint stick

Stir the whisky, schnapps, and honey into a mug or stemmed glass. Ladle the chai on top. Garnish with a peppermint stick.

Madame Rosé
1 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce blood orange juice (preferably fresh squeezed)
Perrier-Jouët Brut Rosé Champagne

Mix the Cointreau and orange juice in a bar glass with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a chilled champagne flute, and then add champagne to fill the glass. Finish with a flamed orange peel.