Ah, the holidays. Even in the Time of Corona, the season still brings the warmth of friendship and family kinship, the music, the gifts, and the smiles to the faces of little children. Oh, and cocktails. There must be cocktails.
While maybe not the first thing that comes to mind amidst the Christmas hubbub, how about a Rummy Apple Fizz from the University Club for sipping through a Zoom “Secret Santa” party? Maybe a Bella Regazza from Gale’s after a masked afternoon of shopping and social distancing? Certainly your fingers and wrists might rather clutch a Bye Bye Summertime cocktail than that sticky mouse you’ve been pounding all day.
Thus we’ve compiled a short list of local drinkeries and some of their favorite holiday-themed cocktails. Some are available only at the venue, others can be packaged for pickup or delivery. Bottoms up!
Gale’s Restaurant
At one of Pasadena’s favorite special occasion spots, owner Gale Kohl and her wizard mixologist Victor Robles have a tree full of Holiday-themed drinks as well as a home favorite or two.
First up is the aforementioned Bella Regazza, (“Pretty Girl”). Gale’s version features fresh lemon juice, Orgeat syrup, pineapple juice, cinnamon-infused vodka, and angostura bitters. A taste as lovely as its name.
Maybe you’re eagerly anticipating the onslaught of a Southern California Winter, with snow on the mountains, and sun splashing everywhere. You might enjoy their Bye Bye Summertime, with its Vodka, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Creme de Pamplemousse, all served up in a martini glass. While the shimmery yellow color looks more summery than winter, you’ll decide, won’t you?
There is also the welcome amber glow of the Red Hook, served over ice or as a martini, with Amaro, Maraschino Liquor and Bourbon. Stir & Strain into a Martini Glass, or Pour Over Ice (shown here). Garnish with an Orange Peel.
The Lime Basil Martini is always in season and because these are the holidays, we’ve got a little gift for you. You can just click right here for the Super Secret Extra-Don’t-Tell-No-One recipe.
Gale’s Restaurant is at 452 South Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. (626) 432-6705. Order online at Chow.com
The University Club
Did you know that you can take advantage of the University Club’s luxury service and menu, and cocktails, of course, on Thursdays, without being a member?
We visited there just the other night as bartender Kris Price showed us a few of their dazzling drinks, one of which was her own creation. The first was the Rummy Apple Fizz, made with dark rum, apple juice, honey, and champagne. The overall effect is rich and golden and sparkly, while warm and serious.
She also offered the Boozy Breakfast, a wake-up call featuring Bourbon whiskey, lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon and egg whites. Don’t let the sweet and tart ingredients fool you, however, this is a serious drink. You might want to sip it slowly and responsibly and all of that.
Finally, she showed off her creation, Kris’s Garden, made with gin, lime juice, elderflower, lavender syrup, and muddled fresh cucumber wrapped around the glass, ribbon-style.
“I kinda like a very fresh, floral-tasting cocktail, on the lighter side, and I don’t like anything overly sweet, or overly sour, I like it right down the middle,” she told us.
“So for me,” said Kris, “adding cucumber to the drink adds that very fresh-type flavor, and so it’s really well-balanced. It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit lime juicy, with a little bit of that citrus flavor, but it really is just a clean, fresh drink.”
Sipping just a little from the rainbow of cocktails she offered, everything blended perfectly with dinner.
University Club is currently offering “Thursday Night at the Patio” with a full dinner menu. You might want to come for the cocktails and stay for the food. They are also offering a packaged Thanksgiving dinner for pick up Thursday, the 26th.
The University Club is at 175 N. Oakland Ave, Pasadena. For more, call (626) 793-5157.
And How About..?
Some drinks and flavors seem to be in season all the time. We’ve gathered up a few along with some recipes, so you can try your hand at being your own mixologist. Maybe a Pomegranate Cider Sangria?
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6 cups apple cider
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2 cups pomegranate juice
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½ cup pomegranate molasses*
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2 cinnamon sticks
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2 whole star anise
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1 orange, thinly sliced
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1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
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½ – 1 cup brandy (optional)
In a large nonreactive pot cook and stir the apple cider, cranberry juice, and pomegranate molasses over medium heat until steaming. Add cinnamon sticks and star anise; remove from heat. Stir in orange and apple slices. Let cool. Transfer to a large pitcher or storage container. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled or up to 1 day. If desired, stir in brandy before serving.
Snickerdoodle Cider Mimosa
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3 tablespoons granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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2 cups apple cider
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1 cup cream soda
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4 cups sparkling white wine
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Apple slices (optional)
In a small shallow dish combine sugar and cinnamon. Moisten the rims of 8 rocks glasses with water. Dip rims of glasses into cinnamon-sugar. Pour 1/4 cup apple cider into each glass. Add 2 Tbsp. cream soda to each glass. Top each with 1/2 cup sparkling wine. Garnish with apple slices, if desired.
There are great cocktails all over town, throughout the holiday season, and plenty of local places where you can find them. Watch for more cocktail stories here as we sip through the holidays.
