The Great Pumpkin
No holiday celebration is complete without
a pumpkin pie on the table, and bartenders
continue to serve creative concoctions using or
inspired by pumpkins. The Pumpkin Splash ($8) at
the 34-seat West Town location of Lush Wine &
Spirits in Chicago is made with Chase vodka, lime
juice, pumpkin purée and Koval Ginger Liqueur,
topped with a splash of Fentimans ginger beer and
garnished with a fresh piece of ginger.
Summit Restaurant at The Broadmoor resort
in Colorado Springs, CO, offers the Smashing
Pumpkin, with Bourbon pumpkin puree, tangerine,
Grand Marnier and brown sugar simple syrup. At
The Hotel Hershey, guests can savor the sweet
and spicy Pumpkin Martini ($12), with vanilla vodka,
pumpkin vodka, and local Pennsylvania Dutch
pumpkin cream, topped with whipped cream and
sprinkled with pumpkin spice. "Everyone is looking
for their pumpkin fix this time of year," says beverage
manager Brian Confer.
"Pumpkin is definitely a hot seasonal flavor," says
Ken Lennox, director of quality beverage for Ruby
Tuesday—and not just for cocktails. "This year we
are featuring Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale ($4.25/
regular draft, $5.24/large draft) to take advantage
of the pumpkin craze," he says. As supply runs out,
Ruby Tuesday will transition to Sam Adams Winter
Lager, which it sells for $4.50 a bottle.—KAM
Above, Devil's Cider from
Kachina Southwestern Grill in
Westminster, CO. Right, Lush's
Sparkling Cocktail, from Lush
Wine & Spirits in Chicago.
like Quill's Madeira-based Mulled Wine ($15). At the five
restaurants and bars at the 276-room Hotel Hershey in Hershey,
PA, guests can sip three warm tipples. The Paris is Burning
($12), combines Cognac and Chambord; the bakery-inspired
Banana Nut Bread ($10) mixes Frangelico and banana liqueur;
and the Apple and Ginger Cider ($8) is spicy and fragrant.
At Kachina Southwestern Grill, a 267-seat southwestern
restaurant in Westminster, CO, bar manager Nick Tarsi features
the Devil's Cider ($2.45), with warm mulled cider, Chamucos
reposado tequila and Leopold Bros. orange liqueur.
Given the richness of some holiday cocktails, guests may opt
to substitute them for a dessert. "During the holiday season,
everyone is trying to cut back where they can with calories, so
certainly in a lounge atmosphere guests often choose to enjoy a
dessert cocktail option," says Brian Confer, beverage manager
at the Hotel Hershey.
Trafman also notices guests often having a second holiday
cocktail in lieu of dessert. "People love having festive cocktails
during the holidays—more than any other season," she says.
Not the guests wait for dessert to enjoy specialty seasonal
drinks, Trafman says: "They are especially great for large groups
as a celebratory start to the night."
Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer and wine educator
in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her
website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on Twitter and Instagram
@kmagyarics.
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| NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
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