Elegance Without Effort; Just Chill, Pour and Toast the Season

Every December, I dream up a new cocktail for my Little Bitte holiday party. I don’t want to be stuck behind the bar at my own party, so I always batch a signature cocktail in advance and chill it in the fridge. When my guests arrive, they get to choose a favorite vintage or handblown glass from the cabinet and I mix their first round. I use the time to greet and catch up, and when they’re ready for another, guests can refill their own glasses. 

For the most part, everyone at the party is in the hospitality industry, so they have fun popping bottles and rummaging through the Hoosier cabinet where I keep my spirit collection. 

I love gin and a good French 75, which adds sparkle to every gathering. For this holiday season, I set out to craft the ultimate pear syrup for the classic cocktail. Here, store-bought pear nectar could be used in place of the homemade pear syrup for a similar effect, but you’d miss the sweet aroma of fresh pears and spices simmering on the stove that makes the whole house smell good. Six pears provide enough for the syrup, plus garnish and display. 

Part of the beauty of the recipe is the quiet decadence of a bowl of pears ripening on the kitchen table or counter, a worthy still life soon to be enjoyed by all. 

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Willa Van Nostrand is an award-winning mixologist and beverage consultant and owner of Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails and World’s Fair Gallery. Visit her at LittleBitte.com.