Fiola’s Holiday Punch: A Winter’s Tale

Warming, brisk, fruity and bubbly, this is a sensational punch to start a holiday celebration dinner. 

Recipe by Luca Giovannini, Corporate Beverage Director, Fabio Trabocchi Restaurants

Serves 6

• 1 cup Calvados or other apple brandy 
• 1 cup spiced honey syrup (recipe follows)* 
• 1 cup pomegranate juice 
• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice  
• 1/2 cup Prosecco   
• Slices of lemon and orange and strips of lemon zest for garnish 

Combine the brandy, spiced honey syrup, fruit juices, and prosecco in a large punch bowl with ice. Garnish with slices of orange and lemon. 

For each serving, twist a strip of lemon zest over the glass just before serving. 

• Spiced honey syrup 
• 1 cup honey 
• 1 cup water  
• 3 cinnamon stick (broken into pieces) 
• 1 teaspoon cardamom  
• 1 teaspoon allspice 
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves  

Toast the spices in pan over low heat until fragrant. Add the honey and water, and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool down and strain through cheesecloth. 

Back to the full story, Fresh Take on Fish Feast

The Chin Chin, Republic Restoratives

The Chin Chin

Ingredients:

•  2 ounces Borough Bourbon 
• 2 ounces fresh-pressed apple cider, not juice  
• ½ ounce fresh lemon juice  
• ½ ounce ginger extract or a few slices of fresh ginger 
• ¼ ounce simple syrup or a teaspoon of raw sugar   

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake for 10 seconds and then strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh apple.    

Republic Restoratives, 1369 New York Ave. NE. For tasting room hours, distillery tours or to sign up for a private tour and tasting, go to republicrestoratives.com. 

Espita Mezcaleria's Esperanza Cocktail

by AJ Dronkers

Espita Mezcaleria restaurant located in Shaw, DC. (Photo by Rey Lopez)

We recently sat out on crisp night to enjoy the Espita Mezcaleria patio scene and to taste our way through their delicious new fall menu. Let's start by talking about the pregame. If you are a chipaholic, Espita Mezcaleria may have the best chips and salsa in town--Tom Sietsema called them "Fritos, if made by angels." The team at Espita makes tortillas daily with heirloom corn that they source from Mexico and grind daily.

One of the stand out dishes we loved on the fall menu was Chef Alexis Samayoa's shrimp tacos made with raisin mezcal salsa, purple mustard frills and toasted sesame on gorgeous red guajillo chile tortillas. The fall cocktails were so on point, but this is also one of the top places in the mid-Atlantic to taste your way through mezcal under the tutelage of owner and Master Mezcalier, Josh Phillips.

Next week join them for their Day of the Dead celebration on Tuesday, November 1st which will even include face paintings and temporary tattoos. 

We were lucky enough to get the Espita team (thanks Megan & Josh) to share the recipe for our favorite fall cocktail, the Esperanza. 

Ingredients

• 2 oz of Doba Yej (or Espadin Mezcal)
• .75 oz Cardamaro
• .75 oz Velvet Falernum
• .5 oz Lemon Juice
• Egg White 

Instructions

Shake with ice, stain contents into empty shaker tin and "dry" shake contents with some force. Double strain into a coupe. Dust Mexican Cinnamon (or canela) on top.