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Galatoire’s Bistro introduces seasonal cocktails

Looking to warm up this holiday season? Head to Galatoire’s Bistro, where the local restaurant is now offering three seasonal cocktails that might just do the trick. Last week, I had a chance to taste what bartender Blake Hernandez has created for the winter, and the results do not disappoint.

First up was the piping hot Turnrow Wassail, a traditional hot ale and wine beverage made with Tin Roof’s latest year-round brew and my favorite of their beers, Turnrow. A Wassail is something Hernandez says he’s always wanted to bring to the Capital City restaurant. His iteration of the drink features roasted Fuji apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, clove, nutmeg and ginger. This was easily my favorite of the three drinks. It’s a lot smoother and less stronger than a mulled wine, but the mixture of flavors give it a reasonable bite.

A hit on last year’s fall cocktail menu, Hernandez decided to bring back the Cinnamon Old Fashioned. Made with Basil Hayden’s bourbon, a cinnamon/brown sugar simple syrup, Angostura bitters, muddled oranges and Luxardo cherries, this one will sneak up on you if you’re not careful. With the use of syrup and sweet cinnamon, the strength of the original Old Fashioned is dialed back a tad, or at least that’s how you feel after a few sips. Half a drink later, you’ll remember, “Oh, I’m drinking an Old Fashioned, and I should probably slow down.”

The final new cocktail from Hernandez is the Down South Eggnog, which uses a classic recipe he dug up and adds Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Old New Orleans Spiced Rum, mixed with milk, cream and whole egg, served chilled and topped with fresh nutmeg. Hernandez wants to show customers how it’s supposed to be made—how it’s supposed to taste. Being that this was my first time trying eggnog, I’m forever spoiled.

For more information on Galatoire’s Bistro, call 753-4864 or click here.