Home Bartending During the Holidays: Expert Tips and Festive Cocktails

If you’re looking to elevate your home bartending skills and add a touch of winter luxury to your holiday season, you’re in for a treat. London’s renowned cocktail experts have shared their insights on crafting the perfect holiday drinks, and we’ve also included four delightful cocktail recipes to get you started.

Salvatore Calabrese, also known as “The Maestro,” an Italian-born drinks expert with over 40 years of experience, emphasizes the importance of starting with the right glassware. According to him, the glass is like a canvas for your drink, setting the tone for a festive atmosphere. So, choose elegant glassware to make your cocktails shine.

Calabrese also stresses the significance of ice in your cocktails. He compares ice to heat for a chef, emphasizing that it must be of high quality. Avoid cracked ice cubes or crushed ice for Christmas cocktails. Instead, consider making your own homemade ice for that extra touch of elegance.

Planning ahead is another tip from The Maestro. Prepare your cocktail in advance, especially if it’s a complex one. Store it in the freezer or fridge so that it’s perfectly chilled when you’re ready to serve. This simple step ensures a smooth and efficient cocktail-making process.

Jake Burger, co-owner of The Distillery, advises knowing when to shake and when to stir your cocktails. While shaking is fun and adds flair, it’s primarily needed when your drink contains fruit juices, egg whites, or cream. For cocktails with all alcoholic ingredients, stirring is the preferred method. Contrary to James Bond’s preference, a martini should be stirred, not shaken, according to Burger.

Liana Oster, bar director at The NoMad Hotel London, suggests adding a seasonal touch by decorating your glasses. She creates a peppermint-bark paint by melting cacao butter and white chocolate with a few drops of peppermint essence. A swirl of this paint, sprinkled with crushed candy cane, adds a delightful visual and flavor element to your cocktails, especially those with a rich body.

Alex Girvan, brand ambassador for Masons of Yorkshire, provides creative garnish ideas. For his chocolate orange martini, he dehydrates orange slices, dips them in dark chocolate, and places them on the side of the glass. This enhances the drink’s presentation and flavor.

Girvan also recommends a garnish-sharing platter, akin to a charcuterie board, featuring rosemary, orange peel, and lemon zest on sticks. This allows guests to customize their drinks and explore new flavors.

In summary, a great cocktail is a journey, and by following these expert tips, you can ensure that your home bartending experience during the holidays is nothing short of exceptional.

Now, let’s move on to four delightful cocktail recipes to make your holiday gatherings even more memorable:

1. WINTERTIME NEGRONI, from The Distillery

   • 1 ounce London Dry Gin
   • 1 ounce Campari
   • 0.5 ounces sweet vermouth
   • 0.5 ounces sloe gin
   • Mix ingredients over ice and stir. Serve over fresh ice and garnish with an orange wedge studded with cloves.

2. SCROOGE SOUR, from Common Decency, at The NoMad Hotel London

   • 1 egg white
   • 0.75 ounces simple syrup
   • 0.75 ounces lemon juice
   • 2 ounces Irish whiskey
   • 0.75 ounces mulled wine
   • Dry shake egg white, simple syrup, Irish whiskey, and lemon juice to emulsify. Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Add 0.75 ounces mulled wine slowly and garnish with edible gold dust.

3. TRUFFLE SAZERAC, from Velvet, at Corinthia London

   • 0.8 ounces Bourbon
   • 1 ounce Cognac
   • Homemade truffle syrup (mix a few drops of truffle oil with a teaspoon of sugar)
   • A few drops of orange bitters
   • Mix ingredients over ice and stir. Serve over fresh ice and garnish with a slice of fresh truffle.

4. MASON’S CHOCOLATE ORANGE MARTINI

   • 2 ounces chocolate vodka
   • 1 ounce triple sec
   • Mix ingredients over ice and stir. Serve in a martini glass and garnish with a chocolate-dipped, candied orange segment.

These expert tips and exquisite cocktail recipes will undoubtedly elevate your home bartending game and make your holiday season even more enjoyable. Cheers to good drinks, good company, and a better world!

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More about Home Bartending

• The Distillery – London
• The NoMad Hotel London
• Corinthia London
• Masons of Yorkshire
• More AP food and drink stories
• Cocktail coverage