by Andrew Coppolino | December 2022
The days are getting dark sooner and the temperatures are dropping. With summer’s warm days now gone, winter-time comfort and solace from the cold can be found in special drinks ā inventive and delicious ā that mark the season and the holidays.
Here are a few new seasonal bevies that will warm body and soul ā and brighten spirits.
āFrostyā at Ennioās Pasta House, Waterloo
A fitting name that harkens to everyoneās favourite snowman, Ennioās Frosty is the creation of general manager Laura Wolff. āI wanted something that was fun and festive,ā says Wolff. It is indeed that: Sprite, peppermint schnapps, vanilla vodka and blue curaƧao, the drink is garnished with a cherry and a candy cane for an additional colourful flourish.
Describing it as not too sweet and not too strong, Wolff adds that, āI wanted the Frosty to be able to appeal to many different kinds of customers.ā Sensing too that customers are wanting to get out and socialize since the pandemic lockdowns, Wolff is finding that in its early days the Frosty is generating conversation and gathering word-of-mouth notice. āI will bring the drink to the table, and everyone says itās great. I think it elevates the dining experience and gives guests a chance to share that.ā
āCranberry-Whiskey Buckā at Rustico Kitchen and Bar, Kitchener
With a combination of whiskey, lemon juice, ginger beer and sugared cranberries, you can buck the trend of ordering the same-old same-old cocktail at Kitchenerās Rustico.
A ābuckā is a style of beverage that traditionally draws on a spirit, some citrus and the spice and piquancy of ginger ale or ginger beer. Itās a drink with a myth (like many historic beverages): itās a riff on the non-alcoholic bevie the āHorseās Neck,ā which was traditionally non-alcoholic ginger ale: when a spirit was added the drink was called a buck ā because it contained a kick. āWhen crafting cocktails for this time of year, we look for familiar holiday flavours that set the stage for your dining experience,ā says head chef and co-owner Simon Mathias. āItās a cocktail you can enjoy on its own, but it has enough acidity and brightness to cut through some of the rich sauces and braised meats, like or beef short rib, that we prepare in more dishes during the colder months,ā Mathias says. āItās also an excellent digestif to cap off your visit.ā
āMull it Overā at S&V Uptown, Waterloo
Aaron Hatchell of S&V Uptown plays a key role at the elegant yet relaxed S&V Uptown in central Waterloo.
As his is practice, he takes a few basic ingredients and combines them in unique and delicious ways. This fall, heās introduced something that you wonāt need a lot of time to mull over before choosing.
The Mull it Over cocktail starts with Ontario-made NE1 Vodka to which is added Briottet blackberry liqueur.
āWe also add chilled mulled wine and some acid-adjusted Concord grape juice,ā says Hatchell.
The final few ingredients launch the drink well and truly into the stratosphere of wintry, warming flavours: dark fruit and winter spices, says Hatchell.
āItās comforting and so appealing. The ingredients when put together are perfect for winter weather. The complement of baking spice notes and the nostalgia of traditional mulled wine really set it off.ā

āFalling Leavesā at Wilksā Bar, Langdon Hall, Cambridge
Head bartender Nathaniel Manns has created a spirit-free beverage at Langdon Hall Country House & Spa. āThe beautiful thing is that you can always add a spirit to it, so itās accessible to everybody,ā he says. If spirited, he recommends a combination of Bourbon and Amaretto. āVodka is good, too, because it doesnāt overwhelm the various flavours,ā he notes. Otherwise, Manns makes the drink with freshly squeezed lemon juice, a fall-flavoured spice syrup of infused rooibos, apple, orange peel, and rose petal tisane alongside classic mulling spices like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
āWe then give it a foam texture and garnish it with locally foraged staghorn sumac powder. It has a bright red color for visual contrast and fruity citrus aroma.ā

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Andrew Coppolino is food columnist with CBC-KW and Metroland newspapers. The author of Farm to Table (Swan Parade Press) and co-author of Cooking with Shakespeare (Greenwood Press), he is the 2022 āJoseph Hoare Gastronomic Writer-in-Residenceā at the Stratford Chefs School. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @andrewcoppolino.