Toasting to Holiday Cheer from Iconic Destinations

December 2021…// The countdown to the holidays is officially on, festive to-do lists seem never-ending and our inboxes are still oh so busy. Whether you are packing your suitcase for that special much-awaited trip or staying at home for the holiday season, the following tried-and-tested cocktails from bucketlist year-round getaway destinations are bound to fill you with merry cheer from across the globe.

Let the top mixologists of Lake Como, Venice and Botswana’s Okavango Delta treat you to an indulging moment of R&R with their signature winter cocktails- regardless of whether you are on the naughty or nice list!

Hilton Lake Como, Italy- The Sphere

Benefiting from jaw-dropping panoramic scenery, Hilton Lake Como’s popular rooftop restaurant, Terrazza 241, is the ideal place to relax and rejoice over the festive period and beyond with a tantalizing new menu and winter garden, specially created to enjoy the 360-degree panoramic views throughout the winter months.

Famous for its stunning scenery, high-profile visitors and fairytale villages, Città dei Balocchi transforms Como into a winter wonderland with magical twinkling lights projected on the historic walls and streets, Christmas markets and a local ice-skating rink in full festive swing.

Guests and locals alike are encouraged to try The Sphere by Vincenzo Sulmona, Rooftop Manager of Terrazza 241. The Sphere is a new sensory experience to be enjoyed, sipped and then eaten: a chocolate sphere filled with a hazelnut parfait mixed with a coffee digestive.

The Sphere
Ingredients:

• Bourbon Whiskey 35 ml
• Frangelico 10 ml
• Caffè ristretto 25 ml
• Vanilla syrup 10 ml
• Chocolate sphere

Instructions:

• Place the Chocolate sphere in a Coupe Glass
• Shake all ingredients together with ice
• Gently insert the cocktail into the sphere with the help of a syringe
• Cover the hole at the top of the sphere with a chocolate bean

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, Italy- The Gin Tea

Venice is in full-festive swing as the iconic city gets ready to celebrate the holiday season and prepares for the approaching New Year Carnival. Guests of the five-star Hilton Molino Stucky Venice can savour special harmonious moments at the eforea Spa, indulge in the hotel’s festive sweets cart, and dine in style over the holidays while the little ones will enjoy Christmas cookie making classes.

Guests and locals alike can treat themselves to the new hot winter cocktails menu at the hotel’s Skyline Rooftop Bar, the highest bar in Venice with arguably the top view to take in a winter Venetian sunset. Skyline Bar Manager Gabriele Cusimano recommends his signature winter-warmer, the new Gin Tea.

The Gin Tea
Ingredients:
• 45 ml Gin
• 10ml Fernet
• 20ml Skyline’s homemade Tonic Syrup (see recipe below)
• A splash of hot water

Skyline’s homemade Tonic Syrup:
•Tonic water
• Cardamom
• Juniper
•Lemon peel

Bring the tonic water to a boil and stir in sugar. Add the lemon zest, cardamom, and juniper. After boiling, let the syrup cool and filter.

Instructions:
• Build up all the ingredients in a glass mug
• Add hot water to the mix
• Add lemon peel to release the essential oils
• To garnish add two juniper berries and two cardamom berries

Great Plains Selinda Camp Botswana- Jackal-Berry Mulled Wine

Resting on the banks of the Selinda Spillway as it enters the Linyanti River, Great Plains Selinda Camp is situated on a private 130,000-hectare Selinda reserve. This pristine area is home to elephants by the thousands, wild dogs and big cats.

Guests at Selinda Camp over the holidays will be spoiled for choice with incredible activities to choose from including morning and evening game drives,  guided walks, local culture visits and in-room spa and wellness treatments. At the end of a long day, guests are encouraged to soak up the spectacular natural surroundings and local wildlife encounters with the camp’s special holiday sundowner, Jackal-Berry Mulled Wine, created by Selinda’s Executive Chef, Assistant Mosiuoa.

Jackal-Berry Mulled Wine
Ingredients:

• 750ml Radford Dale Pinotage Vintage 2016
• 1 Tbsp Raw Honey
• 60g Cinnamon Sticks
• 30g Star-Aniseed
• 150g Dried Jackal-Berries – substitute with berries
• 1 Cup Pineapple Peels, roughly cut
• 2 Fresh Mint Sprigs

Instructions:

• Add all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a soft boil.
• Simmer for about 45 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature
• Strain out all the ingredients

Enjoy as desired, this mulled wine can be served warm or cold
Note: Add an extra 30 minutes of simmering for every double recipe. This recipe serves 4