Christmas Spirits
Experts Discuss Their Sips Of The Season
Posted: December 12, 2012
’Tis the season of shopping and stress, which also makes it a prime time to unwind with a holiday themed cocktail. Locally, bartenders are transforming seasonal flavors into yummy concoctions for Christmas.
“As far as the seasonal, we have eight [cocktails at Union Station],” said Sirena Grant, bar manager at the downtown Harrisonburg restaurant.
“We stick with the pumpkin, brown sugar, gingerbread [tastes], the apple cider … Things that make you think of fall and winter,” Grant continued.
These cocktails represent the tastes most often associated with the colder months and Christmastime. Grant said, in the past, the restaurant ventured down the tried-and-true routes of mulled wine and eggnog, but this year, the menu will feature drinks such as the cider mojito and gingerbread toddy.
“We play around [with flavors] and see what tastes the best,” Grant added.
Thanks to a recent trend, flavored liquors — for instance, cake, caramel or whipped cream-flavored vodkas — offer a sweeter choice for those put off by the taste of alcohol.
Cider Rules
It’s hard to go wrong with seasonal favorites such as apple cider.
“We have a hot apple toddy, it’s like a hot toddy, but it has apple cider instead of water,” said Grant.
By combining in-season produce with spices used in Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes (think cinnamon and cloves) apple cider is a quintessential holiday flavor.
According to Sarah Showalter, co-owner Showalter’s Orchard and Greenhouse in Timberville, it’s Christmas in a glass.
“[People enjoy cider] because of how well it pairs with holiday food, how interesting it is; the craft and artisanship is so different,” she explained.
After her husband’s family purchased the orchard in 1965, they added a sweet cider press in the early ’70s — and it’s been squeezing out the sweet cider ever since.
Last year, Showalter’s began crafting hard cider, coupling an increasing interest in wine-making with the cider already made on-premises. With the encouragement of friends, the orchard launched its first three ciders, which sold out almost immediately.
Its popularity may stem from hard cider’s longstanding presence throughout history, which Showalter says, is making a comeback.
“[Cider at the holidays] is tradition. Just like hard cider is historic and traditional, our forefathers drank hard cider, mulled cider — that seems to fit with the holidays,” she said.
“As far as the seasonal, we have eight [cocktails at Union Station],” said Sirena Grant, bar manager at the downtown Harrisonburg restaurant.
“We stick with the pumpkin, brown sugar, gingerbread [tastes], the apple cider … Things that make you think of fall and winter,” Grant continued.
These cocktails represent the tastes most often associated with the colder months and Christmastime. Grant said, in the past, the restaurant ventured down the tried-and-true routes of mulled wine and eggnog, but this year, the menu will feature drinks such as the cider mojito and gingerbread toddy.
“We play around [with flavors] and see what tastes the best,” Grant added.
Thanks to a recent trend, flavored liquors — for instance, cake, caramel or whipped cream-flavored vodkas — offer a sweeter choice for those put off by the taste of alcohol.
Cider Rules
It’s hard to go wrong with seasonal favorites such as apple cider.
“We have a hot apple toddy, it’s like a hot toddy, but it has apple cider instead of water,” said Grant.
By combining in-season produce with spices used in Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes (think cinnamon and cloves) apple cider is a quintessential holiday flavor.
According to Sarah Showalter, co-owner Showalter’s Orchard and Greenhouse in Timberville, it’s Christmas in a glass.
“[People enjoy cider] because of how well it pairs with holiday food, how interesting it is; the craft and artisanship is so different,” she explained.
After her husband’s family purchased the orchard in 1965, they added a sweet cider press in the early ’70s — and it’s been squeezing out the sweet cider ever since.
Last year, Showalter’s began crafting hard cider, coupling an increasing interest in wine-making with the cider already made on-premises. With the encouragement of friends, the orchard launched its first three ciders, which sold out almost immediately.
Its popularity may stem from hard cider’s longstanding presence throughout history, which Showalter says, is making a comeback.
“[Cider at the holidays] is tradition. Just like hard cider is historic and traditional, our forefathers drank hard cider, mulled cider — that seems to fit with the holidays,” she said.
Contact Kate Kersey at (540) 574-6276 or kkersey@dnronline.com.