Directly above, the Coin Flip from the Vesper Bar at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, which is shown on the right.
cayenne pepper and other spices for the Pittsburrrrgh Hot Chocolate cocktail ($10), which includes B&B and Amarula, the South African cream liqueur. The drink is topped with Kahlua-infused whipped cream. Chocolate also finds its way into versions of that holiday
staple, eggnog. At the Iberian Lounge at the 276-room Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Penn., beverage manager Brian Confair mixes eggnog, spiced rum and white chocolate liqueur for the White Chocolate Eggnog. The decadent drink, which sells for $10, is topped with whipped cream and white chocolate shavings, and sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice.
NOT JUST DESSERTS Confair doesn't believe guests are replacing dessert with these
decadent liquid offerings. But he points out that smaller dessert portions of the cocktails served in shot glasses are allowing guests to have their cake and drink it, too. "We are trending back to the mentality that it's okay to spoil ourselves occasionally as well, which is good for cocktail sales," Confair says. Nogs and flips both rely on eggs, which add richness, body
and a creamy mouth feel to festive cocktails. At the 149-seat Vesper Bar at The Cosmopolitan, mixologist Christopher Hopkins' The Coin Flip ($14) combines Fernet Branca, Navan vanilla cognac, half-and-half, an egg, and syrup infused with cinnamon and orange zest, all topped with an atomizer spritz of Fernet Branca. "Trends in festive drinks lean more towards traditional spices—nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, allspice, mace," Hopkins says. "The types of flavors associate with Christmas cakes, pumpkin pieces and sitting by an open fire."
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for guests to more frequently order dark spirits like aged rum, single-malt Scotch and Cognac, which easily stand up to the more intense flavor profiles of the other ingredients. Along the same lines, he cites less-frequent use of bright citrus and fruit during the fall and winter months. The staff at Central Michel Richard sees drinks inspired
Hopkins also believes there is a tendency around the holidays
by baked goods or holiday desserts, including pumpkin pie, gingerbread cookies and pizzelles, as a holiday liquid trend. The bistro at the new 1,800-room Revel Resort and Casino in Atlantic City offers a homemade spiced apple cider garnished with candied apple tuiles. To successfully market such specialty cocktails, some operators
suggest placing them alongside the dessert menu. Having a server walk one or two through the dining room doesn't hurt either. After all, when guests can see, smell and practically taste them, these festive libations become not only a part of venue's seasonal decor, but a contributing factor to patrons' happy holiday moods.
the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on www.twitter.com/kmagyarics.
ANOTHER ROUND
Visit CheersOnline.com/more for a sidebar on holiday brews.
Or use your smart phone to instantly scan the image to the right.
www.cheersonline.com Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer and wine educator in
