To kick off the celebrations surrounding our West Hollywood Neighborhood Guide earlier this month, we threw a juicy and stylish cocktail workshop at one of our favorite Weho shops: West Elm’s stunning West Coast flagship store.
Gathered with twenty local Chalkboard readers, we learned to make the three incredible holiday recipes below from bartender du jour, Jeremy Lake of Crossroads Kitchen (one of our favorite Weho haunts.) Jeremy’s cocktail recipes are next level, using fresh herbs, spices, Pressed Juicery juices and small batch, American vodkas to create truly special drinks worthy of serving up at any holiday gathering. There is an apertif, a cocktail perfect for dinner, and an after dinner drink that will knock your socks off.
Make one – or all – of the cocktails from our West Elm workshop for this week’s friendsgivings, Thanksgiving dinner, and on into holiday party season. The Apple Stinger was by far the attendees’ fave and paired well with our other workshop indulgences: iced coffees and gluten-free pastries from another West Hollywood neighbor, Alfred Coffee + Kitchen.
Happy holiday week and cheers! Let us know which cocktail recipes you end up making at home…
Sparkling Mint Berry
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Pressed Juicery Watermelon
¼ oz light agave nectar
1 pinch mint
2 dashes Hella Bitter Citrus
½ oz American Star Strawberry Vodka
2 oz sparkling brut
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Muddle the mint. Shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds. Double strain into a stemmed port glass or short champagne glass. Lightly express orange oil from a peel over the glass and discard. Wipe a mint leaf around the rim of the glass. Ornately place the leaf into the cocktail.
Spicy Apple Stinger
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Pressed Juicery Apple Juice
¾ oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz maple syrup
1 pinch rosemary sprig
1 oz American Star Vodka
½ oz American Star Ghost Chili Vodka
cinnamon, for garnish
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Muddle the rosemary sprig. Shake vigorously with ice for 5-10 seconds. Double strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon and a small rosemary sprig.
Spiked Almond Latte
Ingredients
1 oz Pressed Juicery Cold-Brewed Co ffee
1 ½ oz Pressed Juicery Vanilla Almond
1 ¼ oz Breaker Bourbon
½ oz Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao á la Vanille
1 dash Hella Bitter Aromatic Bitters
3 coffee beans, for garnish
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously with ice for 5-10 seconds. Double strain into a martini glass. Garnish with 3 whole coffee beans.
