Festive cocktails at the bar at Rouge Tomate in New York City / Photo by Cody Rasmussen
This season, make a toast to holiday cheer with flavorful organic cocktails stirred up by some of the most creative mixologists we know.
There’s no more festive time of year than the holiday season, with its cozy evenings around the fire, convivial conversations among family and friends, and glasses lifted to make a meaningful toast. There’s also a certain romance to the season. To us, the idea of sipping cocktails while the snow falls sounds like a perfect way to end a wintry day. These drinks, created with organic liquors, will not only expand your cocktail creativity, they’re also sure to be a conversation-starter with your guests.
[divider]
Kris Kringle Cranberry Punch
Photo by Gabriella Marks
Created by Natalie Bovis, a mixologist and co-founder of OM Cocktails, an organic, gluten-free bottled cocktail made with organic vodka. “A traditional punch has fresh citrus juice, a sweetener (such as sugar or fruit juice), a touch of spice, spirit and tea,” said Bovis. “This cranberry punch is great for Thanksgiving through New Year’s.”
Kris Kringle Cranberry Punch
A traditional holiday punch with a spicy twist
2 cups OM Wild Cranberry Blood Orange
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup green tea
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup sparkling water
Pour all ingredients into a bowl. Chill in refrigerator. Serve in punch cups or wine glasses filled with ice.
Out of Mind
Created by Pascaline Lepeltier:
Photo courtesy of Rouge Tomate
Lepeltier, sommelier at Rouge Tomate, a seasonal and sustainable restaurant in New York City, using FAIR Quinoa Vodka, an organic vodka that sources its quinoa from the Andean mountains of Bolivia and distills it in the Cognac region of France. “This cocktail is not only beautiful to look at, but it’s made with ingredients that you would find in a typical holiday meal,” says Lepeltier. “It makes a perfect pairing for your holiday dishes.”
Out of Mind
A pairing for any holiday meal
2 ounces FAIR Quinoa Vodka
2 ounces carrot puree (blend 6 ounces of cooked carrots with 2 ounces of carrot juice until smooth)
1⁄2 ounce house-made kaffir syrup*
1⁄2 ounce lime juice
1⁄2 ounce raw organic egg white
Mix all ingredients in a mixing glass. Dry shake, then shake with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a zest of lime and a lime wedge.
*To make kaffir syrup, blend 3 or 4 fresh kaffir limes (found at specialty markets) with 4 ounces of agave (or simple) syrup. Steep for two hours, then strain.
Pear of Roses
Created by H. Joseph Ehrmann:
Photo by Loren Earle-Cruickshanks
Ehrmann, a mixologist and owner of Elixir, a bar that has served San Franciscans since it opened in 1858, uses Square One Botanical, an organic rye spirit infused with the organic essence of eight botanicals: pear, rose, chamomile, lemon verbena, lavender, rosemary, coriander and citrus peel. “With this cocktail, I play up pear and rosemary and choose Meyer lemons that are just becoming available in December,” says Ehrmann. “You can muddle one of the pears in your holiday fruit basket and toast with a refreshing and rich cocktail for the season.”
Pear of Roses
A lively and fruity cocktail
1 1/2 ounces Square One Botanical
1/2 ounces fresh organic Meyer lemon juice
3 inches of organic rosemary leaves
1 ounces of fresh RW Knudsen Organic pear juice
1/2 ounces lavender syrup*
Small rosemary sprig and Meyer lemon wheel for garnish
Strip three inches of rosemary leaves into a mixing glass and muddle lightly. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake well and double strain straight up into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a small rosemary sprig and a thin slice of Meyer lemon.
*To make lavender syrup, boil 1 cup of water and add 2 tablespoons of lavender flower buds in a small saucepan. Boil for 4-5 minutes and dissolve 1 cup of organic sugar into the mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a sieve into a container and refrigerate.