These are a few of my favorite things...

On this pre-holiday visit to Great Falls, I have experienced many of my favorite things: 6 Par Farmer, Christmas parties, rum cake ( I didn't know it was my favorite until this weekend), snow, and time with my favorite young ladies.

They were not calling for snow, but we have been getting a few inches a day. It makes the golf course look quite festive and although, 6 Par Farmer prefers waking up to look at a day filled with sun and eighty degree temperatures, I love waking up to a fresh blanket of snow that has quieted the streets and made new turf for snow angels. It has been 5-10 degrees, so it hasn't been balmy, but it is gorgeous.

On a beautiful, snowy Sunday, we joined 6 Par Farmer's fam for Christmas brunch at the Meadowlark Country Club. Everything was decorated, there were some children playing Christmas tunes, and lots of yummy food. The highlight of the day were 6 Par Farmer's nieces in their Christmas dresses. So fabulous! (Big Bon Lemon supporters, I might add.)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Advocaat: Dutch Eggnog

Advocaat or Dutch Eggnog is a creamy yellow liqueur made from a rich blend of egg yolks, sugar, cognac, vanilla, and a pinch of cardamom and salt. The Netherlands exports this drink to over 50 countries.

I first sampled Dutch Eggnog at Swing Wine Bar in Olympia. I overheard the bartender talking about special holiday drinks, and this one caught my ear. You only drink about a shot of it and you don't really drink it at all. It is so thick, you eat it with a spoon.

Clearly, any cocktail that doubles as a dessert has my vote, so I tried it out. Delicious! Quite cognac-ey, but buttery and delicious. Like pudding, only better. Turns out, the mixologist at Swing had recently published the recipe, and I decided to make some for Thanksgiving brunch dessert. (I believe dessert should be served with every meal.)

So tomorrow, for brunch we will dine on Montana Ham (enjoyed in Lincoln and the Whitehouse alike), fresh biscuits (boyfriend's foodie sister's recipe), yellow corn grits (prepared according to a favorite southerner's explicit directions), pears with manouri sheep/goat cheese and olive oil, and Advocaat served in my cute little Turkish coffee cups I carried back from Istanbul.

And that's just brunch. Oh how I love Thanksgiving!