Christmas starts with cocktails. Obviously. I mean, it's a sure sign that the holiday season, is a comin' when you start loving spiked eggnog lattes and cranberry infused gin cocktails. Ahhhh... and happy hour commences! 

We stopped by Toronto hot spot Hudson Kitchen and asked them to give us the low down on how to be your own bartender this holiday. 


They gave us three cocktail recipes for three fancy, seasonal drinks to get our holiday on. These drinks are sure to impress at your party this year!

Pera Colada


1oz Spiced Rum
1oz Gin
1oz Dark Rum
100ml Pear Syrup (infuse a simple syrup with pear slices for a DIY option or check a speciality store) 
100ml Coconut Milk
Tiki Bitters 
 
Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain out into a tumbler filled with ice. Garnish your cocktail with a pear slice and grated cinnamon. 

Pro Tip: Hudson Kitchen makes this cocktail with 5ml of xanthan gum and uses a Paco Jet Machine to whip it up to a slurpee consistency. This is a bit much for the at home bartender though. 
 
Vansittart Cocktail

 
1 oz Cognac
1 oz Ruby Port
1/4 oz Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
1/2 oz White Chocolate Cream Liquor
1/2 oz Cinnamon Vanilla Clove Syrup (this is an easy enough DIY simple syrup, here's a recipe, simply add some vanilla bean) 
Whole Egg
Grated Chocolate for Garnish 
 
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake with no ice. Add ice and shake again. Fine strain into a coupette, allow to settle and grate dark chocolate on top.
 
Partridge in a Palm Tree


1 1/2 oz Spiced Rum
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 1/2 oz Salted Pineapple Syrup (create an infused simple syrup with pineapple and salt, here's a good base recipe) 
 
Add all ingredients to a boston glass and shake well with ice. Strain in to an old-fashioned glass, top with ice and grate cinnamon on top.

Let us know of any new cocktails you'll be trying this season!