Tagged: Klaus Puck

As American as Apple Pie – Cocktails for the Season

Whether you’re just too full to enjoy dessert after your big Thanksgiving meal or you just can’t spend one more moment listening to Uncle Martin’s ridiculous theory about snowfall sometimes it can be hard to truly appreciate those wonderful sweet treats at the end of the feast.  Pumpkin pie with its’ smooth rich sweetness and perfect spices and apple pie or perhaps pear crisp with its warm seasonal fruit don’t have to just be the “foot note” to your Thanksgiving meal.  The mixologists at these fabulous spots around the country have captured all the flavors you crave in the perfect cocktail that you can enjoy with friends “aka the family you pick” any night of the week (this time of year).

Cocktails a la Pumpkin Pie

BLT Steak LA (Los Angeles, CA)

Andrew Parish is the winning mixologist behind this seasonal treat at BLT Steak LA.  Parish happens to be Chelsea Handler’s personal mixologist and has won awards for his innovative and all organic cocktails.

Pumpkin Spice Martini

  • 1 teaspoon fresh baked and puréed pumpkin (or substitute with 1 teaspoon canned pumpkin puree)
  • 1/2 ounce of brown sugar/clove simple syrup
  • 1/4 ounce Frangelico
  • 2 ounces Stoli vodka

Add all ingredients to shaker, add ice, shake and strain into martini glass, garnish with fresh grated nutmeg

Locanda del Lago is also serving up a Pumpkin Pie cocktail ($14).  Theirs is made with Santa Monica Farmers’ Market pumpkin purée, Tru organic vanilla vodka, Frangelico, Baileys and cinnamon.  Cheers to all that sweet, rich, goodness in a glass.

Mandarin Oriental (NYC, NY)

The Mandarin Oriental in New York City has their version of the pumpkin pie cocktail.  Topped with nutmeg instead of cinnamon, this might be your pumpkin pie in a glass.

Spiced Pumpkin Pie

  • 2 oz Stoli Vanilla
  • 1 oz Coole Swan
  • ½ oz Kahlua
  • ½ oz Monin Spiced Pumpkin Pie syrup
  • 1 oz Pumpkin Puree

Add ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into martini glass. Sprinkle lightly with freshly grated nutmeg. Serve in a martini glass with a cinnamon + sugar rim.

Alegria Cocina Latina (Long Beach, CA)

The pumpkin spice cocktail has a nice sweet crumbly pie crust rim to go with the smooth creamy cocktail.

Pumpkin Spice Cocktail

Pumpkin Pie Goblet                     A Crisp Fall Day

At New York’s R Lounge, you might be able to grab a seat next to Bruno Mars or Giuliana Rancic while you sip your Pumpkin Pie Goblet made with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, pumpkin purée, whipped cream, and pumpkin spice. Or, you might clink glasses with Minka Kelly over A Crisp Fall Day martini made with Absolut Pear Vodka, Splash Frangelico, Cranberry Juice, and Caramel.

In Boston, or rather Brookline, MA, you can cozy up at The Fireplace for their Thanksgiving cocktail which is made with pumpkin, vanilla bean, and clove infused rum.

Barney’s Beanery in West Hollywood has the Pumpkin Spice-tini brought to you by master food/beverage manager Jessica Rodrigue.  Barney’s just celebrated its 90th anniversary and if they had a guest book it would read like a Hollywood star map.  With Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix in the earlier days, and Drew Carey, Johnny Depp, Adam Sandler, Johnny Knoxville and Quentin Tarantino presently grabbing a seat at the bar you could potentially get distracted from your glass.  The Pumpkin Spice-tini is made with Ketel One Vodka, Pumpkin Spice Liqueur and a splace of Frangelico shaken over ice.  It is served in a martini glass with a light dusting of cinnamon.

The cocktail menu at WP24 Restaurant and Lounge, also in Los Angeles, Klaus Puck’s cocktail menu has the Cloudy Apple on the sweet side and Ginny Hendriks on the savory side of things.  The Cloudy apple ($16) is concocted with Calvados, Absolut Apple, lemon and cinnamon.  The Ginny Hendricks ($16) with Hendricks gin has rosemary and lemon for a little pucker from the lemon and the strong earthy flavor of Rosemary.

Antonella Ristorante (Santa Ana, CA)

This perfect fall cocktail has the fabulous fall fruit, pear, playing off of the floral flavor of St. Germain.

Pear-Fecto Martini

  • 1½ oz pear vodka
  • 1 oz St-Germain Liqueur
  • 1 oz Italian Moscato
  • 1/4 fresh bosc pear, cored
  • Sprite

Cheers!