Recipe Friday: Holiday Cocktails

Happy New Year! As you get ready to toast the new year, here are some festive cocktails festive cocktail recipes from all around the world to get you into the holiday spirit! 

Cheers! 

Goldon Sour

Recipe courtesy Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya

Nothing says News Year’s quite like this fluffy gold-toned cocktail.

Ingredients

¾ oz lime
¾ oz lemon grass syrup
1 ¼ oz London dry gin
1 oz aquafaba
1 pinch golden toner
1 splash of Veuve Clicquot

Method

1. Place the first five ingredients (lime, lemon grass syrup, London dry gin, aquafaba and golden toner) in the shaker, then do a dry shake (no ice) so the aquafaba breathes and fluffs. Open the shaker to make sure there is foam (in case there isn’t, dry shake again). Add ice and shake again. Then do a double strain into a cold coupe glass.

2. Add a splash of Clicquot so the foam fluffs more. It also helps the gold particles float so it looks like the cocktail is made of gold.

La Grande Dame

Recipe courtesy Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf

This champagne-based cocktail is perfect for welcoming the New Year in St. Barths style.

Ingredients

1 oz 44 Paradiso gin
3 oz Fouquet’s champagne
dash lemon verbena bitter and its perfume

Method

1. Add gin and bitters to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.

2. Strain into a Champagne flute and top with bubbles.

3. Perfume the glass and a ribbon with the verbena perfume. Tie ribbon around glass and serve.

 

Holiday Sangria

Rercipe courtesy Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino

This fruit-filled Sangria is a must-have in Aruba, full of strawberries, lime, lemon, apple brandy and cane sugar.

Ingredients

1 medium lime (thinly sliced into rounds)
1 medium lemon (thinly sliced into rounds)
¼ cup organic cane sugar (or agave)
¼ cup apple brandy (Laird’s Apple Jack brand)
½ medium organic green apple (cored, skin on, chopped into small pieces)
1 medium ripe peach or nectarine (thinly sliced)
1 cup sliced strawberries
Juice with seeds from 3 passion fruits
1 750-ml bottle dry, crisp white wine (chilled - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)

Ingredients for serving

Ice or frozen berries for serving
Plain sparkling water (can use also cucumber san Pellegrino sparkling water)
Fresh mint

Method

1. Add lime, lemon, and sugar to a large pitcher and muddle with a muddler or gently crush with a wooden spoon.

2. Add apple brandy and muddle again to combine. Add apple, nectarine, passion fruit and strawberries and stir to incorporate. Then add wine and stir once more.

3. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more sweetener of choice if needed, lemon or lime juice for acidity. Stir to combine.

4. Add ice or frozen berries and stir once more to chill. Serve as is or with a bit more ice and mint. To dilute the mixture, top off glasses with a bit of the sparkling water.

5. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, though best when enjoyed within the first 1-2 days.

Cola de Mono

Rercipe courtesy Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino

This special cocktail includes Pineapple ice cream and sparkling wine for a refreshing but dessert-worthy drink on Christmas day.

Ingredients

300ml Sparkling Wine
300ml Sauvignon Blanc
350gr Pineapple Ice Cream
1 shot of Grenadine Syrup
Pineapple cuts with skin

Method

1. Fill up a pitcher with the sparkling wine and Sauvignon Blanc, add the granadilla shot and serve on glass, top with the pineapple ice cream

For Serving

1. Ad to a glass the pineapple cuts with skin

2. For better results add sugar to the pineapple cuts and Brule

Autumn Bliss

Recipe courtesy Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa

This simple cocktail is the perfect cozy holiday drink. It fuses ginger beer and apple cider with Hawaiian dark rum and simple syrup.

Ingredients

1 ½ tsp simple syrup
1 ½ oz dark rum
1 ½ oz. 1 ½ oz. apple cider
1 ½ oz chilled ginger beerIce
Garnish with a lime and orange wedge

Method

Mix all ingredients