If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, I’d pick ice cream—no hesitation, not a doubt in my mind. I like to consider myself an expert in the field: I’m confident that the best supermarket ice cream is Alden’s Organic, and I’ve tried quite literally every ice cream in New York City (Emack & Bolio's and Anita Gelato, you have my heart). I taste test like it’s an Olympic sport, know what flavor combinations will be a win, and have very firm beliefs on the appropriateness of sprinkles. As a result, it was only natural that I had to educate myself on the latest TikTok sensation: The Ninja CREAMi Breeze 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker. 

This kitchen gadget was taking over my For You Page. I was seeing people make every flavor under the sun (mint chocolate chip, cookies & cream, chocolate chunk); there were high protein renditions that used Fairlife protein shakes (40 grams of protein per pint, people); and there were one-ingredient sorbets. It was all-consuming, and as a self-proclaimed ice cream connoisseur, I had to have it. After all, how could I call myself an ice cream expert without my own ice cream machine? 

Fast forward through eight highly anticipated days of ground shipping, and the device I now consider my most prized possession landed on my doorstep. The instruction booklet, while probably very useful, was the least of my concerns. I had approximately 50 recipes saved, just did a huge $100 haul at the supermarket for ice cream supplies, and was anxious to get started. The caveat: My concoctions had to freeze for 24 hours before I could taste ‘em. In one jar, I dumped a can of peaches—easy, peasy. In the other? I got creative. I used a protein smoothie, peanut butter, jelly, vanilla, pudding mix—it was an “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” type of deal. 

Cut to the next evening, and I locked and loaded my soon-to-be-ice-cream into the Ninja CREAMi. The machine is genuinely dummy proof—I locked in the jar and pressed the “sorbet” button for my peaches and the “ice cream” button for my peanut butter situation. The Ninja is jarringly loud—I genuinely thought it was going to explode on my countertop. But with two spins, it completely transformed what was once a rock hard brick of ingredients spanning simple to chaotic into the creamiest, most delicious texture I’ve ever tasted. 

As a professional ice cream taster, I rate the machine the following: 

• Taste: 10/10. I know the machine doesn’t add any ingredients that I do not add in myself (homemade!), however, I swear by the ice cream gods that the CREAMi made a seemingly mismatched concoction (which did not abide by measuring spoons) taste gourmet, perfectly sweet, and complex.
• Texture: 8/10. I knocked two points off because the texture is a learning curve. It can get a little powdery, which is unnerving, but after adding some extra liquid and learning to massage the ice cream with a spoon, everything congeals into a dreamy, creamy situation. 
• Temperature: 10/10. My biggest ice cream pet peeve is when it’s not cold enough. I want to enjoy every bite without fear that if I don’t consume the entirety of my portion in five seconds it will transform into a pool of liquid. The CREAMi has somehow managed to identify the ideal temperature required for the perfect gelato, ice cream, and sorbet. 

Technicalities aside, the customizability is enough to make any ice cream lover's dream come true. Coffee Oreo is my favorite flavor in existence, but I can only find it at one niche store in my small hometown. Now? I can make a coffee base and mix in the perfect number of Oreo crumbles. I have the ability to make vanilla animal cracker ice cream. Heck, I can even add a peanut butter swirl if I’m feeling it. The ice cream world is my oyster. 

This machine has become my hobby, my party trick, and my built-in homemade dessert (which is great considering I can’t bake to save my life). It truly sparks joy and has made me the director of my ice cream journey. Some nights, I’ll whip up a healthy fruit option, and others I’ll make a full-on indulgent double dark chocolate scoop. Regardless, it’s now an integral part of my daily routine and one I cannot imagine my dessert landscape without. 

There are countless advantages to living alone: Privacy, the ability to decorate however you want, free reign over the kitchen, and more quiet time to recharge and prepare for social outings. But there's one aspect of living alone that I, for one, run into on a weekly basis: There's no one around to split a bottle of wine with me. 

Wine fans everywhere know precisely the predicament I'm talking about. After wine is opened and exposed to oxygen, the resulting oxidation causes wine to spoil, giving it a bitter flavor and even turning it into vinegar after an extended period of time. I cringe just thinking about the number of wine bottles I've wasted (or stubbornly proceeded to drink in spite of their degradation in flavor) since moving into a studio apartment. 

Enter Wander + Ivy. This woman-founded wine brand makes high-quality, single-serve bottles of wine made from certified organic grapes so that people like me can indulge in a bottle of red (or white or rosé) without wasting product or feeling the need to finish the bottle. Thus, your love for wine is instantly made more sustainable, budget-friendly, and conducive to a healthier, well-paced relationship with alcohol. 

And gone are the days of settling for sugary boxes of cheap wine when you want a single serving. In my opinion, wine should look, taste, and feel luxe—particularly when you're indulging by yourself in your apartment or pairing it with a meal. As a result, I'm eternally grateful that there's finally a product on the market that's formulated and packaged in a high-end way. After all, it's difficult to feel chic or like you're treating yourself when you're pouring your drink from a cardboard box.

As someone who used to work in the alcohol industry, I also appreciate Wander + Ivy for how its single-serving bottles lend themselves meal pairings. If I'm having steak on a Monday, I don't want to feel committed to eating red meat for an entire week just because I already opened my bottle of red wine. It's nice to feel the freedom to enjoy steak with a glass of red one day, chicken curry with a glass of white the next day, and salmon with a bit of rosé the day after. 

Finally, if you think Wander + Ivy is suited solely for solo drinking, think again. Countless times, I've been stuck in a quandary with friends when one of us wants to drink one type of wine while the other wants to drink a different one. Most often, my friends are not into my predilection for extra-dry reds, and I find myself quietly fuming while sipping on chardonnay in the spirit of friendship and compromise.

Wander + Ivy removes any need for compromise or for those awkward conversations between two friends with different tastes. Now, grabbing my friends the wine of their choice is just as easy and individual preference-driven as asking them which beer they want, and I can feel like a gracious hostess without harboring any (temporary! minor!) resentment over drinking something I don't like. It's also handy for when one person drinks while the other doesn't, or for when one wants wine while the other prefers beer or hard alcohol. Indeed, founder Dana Spaulding conceived of Wander + Ivy in part because she loves wine while her husband prefers whiskey.

In addition to a handy subscription box offer, you can also shop by the bottle or set at Wander + Ivy's online wine shop. My personal go-to is their Mixed Varietals box, but the site caters to every taste and combination, from singles to pairs to bundles, at an affordable rate (as low as $6.80 per bottle!). I recommend their reds, of course, but their whites and rosé are also light, drinkable, and tasty—even to a die-hard red fan like me.

Ingredients:

3 oz. Jameson Orange

½ oz. Lime juice

1 oz. Triple sec

1 oz. Cranberry juice

Orange twist for garnish

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz.  Skrewball Whiskey

¾ oz. Green Chartreuse   

¾ oz. Green creme de menthe   

½ oz. Heavy cream   

Shaved chocolate for garnish

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into your glass of choice. Garnish with shaved chocolate.

Ingredients:

1 oz. Off Hours Bourbon Whiskey

1 oz. Disaronno

2 oz. La Colombe Triple Latte

¼ oz. Maraschino liqueur

¼ oz. Maple syrup

Nutmeg to garnish

Directions:

Add Off Hours Bourbon, Disaronno, La Colombe Triple Latte, Maraschino liqueur and Maple syrup to a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with grated nutmeg.

Ingredients:

1½ oz. Sláinte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend

1½ oz. Espresso

¼ oz. Sugar syrup

½ oz. Coffee liqueur

Nutmeg and coffee beans for garnish

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg and a few coffee beans.

Ingredients:

1½ oz. Keeper’s Heart Irish + American Whiskey

⅓ oz Fresh lime juice

Ginger beer

Directions:

In the order given, build ingredients in a copper mug, finishing with ginger beer. Top with crushed ice, stir briefly to mix, then add more ice in a dome over the top. Garnish with your favorite festive straw. 

Ingredients:

2 oz. Cutwater Bourbon Whiskey

¾ oz. Fresh lemon juice

¾ oz. Fresh honey syrup

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake until cold, and strain over fresh ice.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey 

½ oz. Lemon juice 

½ oz. Honey syrup

Hot green tea

Cinnamon stick for garnish

Directions:

Build in hot toddy glass or mug. Top with hot green tea. Garnish with cinnamon stick. 

Ingredients:

2 oz. Glendalough Double Barrel 

1 oz. Fresh lime juice 

3 Dashes Bitters 

Splash Ginger Beer 

Lime wedge for garnish 

Directions:

Combine the Double Barrel, lime juice, and bitters in a shaker and shake. Pour over ice in a highball glass and top with ginger beer then garnish with lime wedge.

Ingredients:

1¼ oz. Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

½ oz. Lemon juice

¾ oz. Orange blossom honey syrup

Candied ginger for garnish

Directions:

In a shaker, combine whiskey, lemon juice, and honey syrup and shake with ice. Strain and pour over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with candied ginger.

Ingredients:

2 oz.  Breaking & Entering American Whiskey

½ oz. Light brown sugar simple syrup

Mint leaves

Directions:

In a Julep tin, add crushed ice to about ¾ full and let sit to chill. In a mixing glass, add 3 to 4 mint leaves and simple syrup and lightly muddle. Add B&E American Whiskey and ice to the mixing glass and stir. Strain the cocktail from the mixing glass into the Julep tin and add more crushed ice to form a mound on top. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
1 oz pink grapefruit juice
1/3 oz sugar syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Soda water or tonic water
Pink grapefruit wedge

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a tall glass and add ice. Top up with soda and garnish with a pink grapefruit wedge.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon

½ oz. Demerara syrup

4 oz. Cold brew coffee

Hand whipped cream

Ranch Dust to garnish (equal parts monk fruit sugar and black salt)

Directions:

Hand whip cream by shaking for 30 seconds in a skaler tin with a shaker ball. In a Collins glass, add bourbon, Demerara syrup, and cold brew. Leave two fingers of room on the top to float cream. Dust with Ranch dust.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. McConnell's Irish Whisky

½ oz. Simple syrup

2 oz. Espresso

2 oz. Whole milk

Cinnamon

Directions:

Add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a large snifter and dust a pinch of cinnamon over the drink.

Ingredients:

1 oz. Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak

½ oz. Campari

2 Drops chocolate bitters

¼ oz. Vanilla extract

2 Drops cherry bitters

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a cocktail mixer and stir gently. Serve in a tuath glass with a square of dark chocolate and a cherry.

Ingredients:

1 oz. The Busker Triple Cask Triple Smooth

2 oz. Pink grapefruit soda

Fresh mint sprig for garnish

Directions:

Fill a highball glass with ice, pour whiskey and top with pink grapefruit soda. Stir and garnish with fresh mint sprig.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Lost Irish Irish Whiskey

¾ oz. Honey syrup

¾ oz. Lemon juice

Lemon peel for garnish

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in an ice filled shaker. Shake until well chilled, about 10 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Redbreast 12

2 Dashes Angostura bitters

Soda Water

Directions:

Add your Redbreast 12 and bitters into a tall Collins glass. Fill to the brim with ice and top with soda water.

Ingredients:

1 oz. Talisker 10 Year Old

½ oz. Green chartreuse 

¾ oz. Fresh lemon juice

½ oz Agave nectar

Cherry for garnish

Directions:

Combine Talisker 10 Year Old, green chartreuse, fresh lemon juice, and agave nectar in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a cherry. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Johnnie Walker Black Label

½ Simple syrup

2 Dashs aromatic bitters

Orange peel and toasted rosemary twig for garnish

Directions:

Mix ingredients in an ice-filled glass and stir well. Pour into a tumbler over ice. Garnish with orange peel and toasted rosemary.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. The Singleton 12 Year Old

½ oz.  Honey syrup

½ oz. Fresh lemon juice

Mint stems (split lengthways)

Thyme sprig for garnish

Directions:

Add The Singleton 12 Year Old, honey syrup, and lemon juice directly into a chilled rocks glass and stir. Add mint stems and crushed ice, stir again. Top with more fresh crushed ice and garnish with a fresh thyme sprig. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon

¾ oz Fresh lemon juice

¼ oz Simple syrup

6 Basil leaves

Directions:

Add simple syrup into the bottom of a mixing tin with five basil leaves. Muddle basil and syrup together then add lemon juice, Noble Oak, and ice. Shake well to chill and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with remaining basil leaf.

Ingredients: 

2 oz. Freeland Bourbon 

1 oz. Lemon juice 

1 oz. Ginger syrup

Sprig of rosemary

Directions: 

Add rosemary sprig into a shaker tin and muddle until fragrant. Add other ingredients and ice into shaker tin and shake for 10-15 seconds/ Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Ingredients:

1 part Original Bushmills
¾ part rich Demerara syrup
3¼ parts Sumatra coffee
Fresh whipped cream

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into a Georgian Irish Coffee glass and top with freshly whipped heavy cream.

Ingredients:

2 oz. The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve

¼ oz. Matcha

2 oz. Crème of coconut

½ oz. Lime juice

Directions:

Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with matcha dusting and edible flowers, if available.

The coordination is, in fact, a big part of the pleasure. Scattered notes on loose leaf paper, post-its stuck to cookbook pages, and the perfect mise en place. These blueprints tell a story of careful calculations and mouth-watering anticipation, and flipping back through past meal preps is like looking at old photos, delighting in the memories behind the scribbles. Lately, these memories of mine tell another story― one of increased ease marked by a particular turning point in my home cook journey: The introduction of Vitamix’s super-powered A3500 blender to my lineup.

I’ll start with this: I’ve always been a bit device-averse in the kitchen. This is a habit I picked up from my mother, who is quicker and more precise than almost any gadget could be. She’s also a staunch traditionalist with many more years of trial and error under her belt than I have―a realization that eventually led me to indulge in some devices that only a novice would appreciate.

For instance, I’ve always had a blender of some variety on my counter. Most recently, it was an unlabeled, half-broken, single-smoothie blender I took from my dad when he replaced his. At the time, I never really considered that not all blenders are created equal. 

A friend of mine had me over for dinner one night, and presented a gorgeous, creamy, smooth-as-can-be soup, which he described at first not by its contents but by the device behind its creation: a Vitamix blender. In the era of sheet pan dinners and slow cookers and viral TikTok pastas, it shouldn’t have come as such a surprise that an entire meal could be churned out by one device. But here I was, thinking of my scribbles on loose leaf and elaborate mise en place wondering why I hadn’t considered this option sooner.

It’s not news that the Vitamix is great. There’s a cult following behind it, from home cooks to professional chefs. The reviews read more like love letters than product assessments. One reviewer referred to the blender as a “work horse and show pony,” which I found particularly poetic. 

Vitamix offers a variety of blenders, which range from $250 for their classic model to $730 for their top A3500 blender, complete with all the bells and whistles. They’re surely an investment, but one I can definitely say is worth every penny. And, with Vitamix’s 10-year warranty and endless resources for making the most of your machine, the company is top-of-the-line for a reason. 

The latest update to the A3500 blender, a 48-ounce stainless steel container, was a particularly joyous occasion for the Vitamix hive, as it promises even more durability, odor-and-stain resistance, and better insulation for hot and cold blends. It’s also pretty to look at and fully dishwasher-safe. 

The true appeal of the A3500 blender, which is part of their top tier Ascent series, lies in the world of possibilities it provides. With this blender, you can churn out smoothies, hot soups, dips, frozen desserts, nut milks, dough, baby food, and more. There’s minimal guesswork involved in creating any of these items, thanks to the blender’s five program settings, which involve some sort of high-level technology I won’t even attempt to understand—but that’s the point. It’s designed with wireless connectivity, which means that as the technology behind the blender evolves, your device will automatically update. Want even more presets? There’s literally an app for that. We also have the touchscreen controls, which are not only totally cool (listen, that’s a perk!) but also easy to toggle with and simple to navigate. You’ll have all the childlike joy of playing with a new toy, while still feeling like you’re “adulting."

There’s a difference between good soup and great soup. There’s a reason why your $15 smoothie from the store beneath the Equinox tastes so much better than the one you make at home. But you mustn’t resign yourself to the idea that you’ll never achieve this level of greatness, because you will—I promise! Once you’re scooping out the smoothest ice cream or sipping on the velvetiest soup, you’ll be reminded of “texture” and “consistency,” two terms that are often lost on the home cooks of the world, in the high-pressure pursuit of good flavor. I hope you, like me, have this epiphany. In fact, with the Vitamix A3500 blender, I know you will. 

Decanter, Europe’s wine authority, is raising the bar and launching a wine club here in the US, providing unrivalled expertise and unique bottles you won’t easily find elsewhere. Partnering with Wine Access, they’re offering two subscriptions of six distinctive bottles every quarter, each a curation of Decanter’s top-scoring wines. 

“Each shipment has been designed to offer a diverse and fascinating range of both old and new world wines in varying styles,” says Editor-in-Chief of Decanter, Chris Maillard. “Every bottle has come through our rigorously independent tasting process and earned a top score from our panel of highly respected judges.” 

Excellent quality is guaranteed with this wine subscription, knowing they’ve wowed Decanter’s experts and earned some impressive scores in the process. Inside each box is a booklet with a comprehensive background on the wines, tasting notes and Decanter scores to boot. 

In this month’s premium subscription, Rare Luxuries, there are some impressive collectibles including a 97 point 2011 La Rioja Alta and a 98 point 2008 Billecart-Salmon rosé brut champagne. In the Everyday Excellence offering there’s a 94 point non-vintage Jansz Cuvée Brut as well as a 94 point 2019 Babylonstoren Shiraz.

It’s safe to say we’ll be armed with a newfound confidence to tackle the wine list at restaurants and boast a broader range of wine knowledge we didn’t have before thanks to this subscription. 

Take a look at the Decanter Wine Club and sign up here. 

This article has been sponsored by Decanter 

In early 2020, Amelie Kang’s small but burgeoning restaurant business was growing quickly. Kang, who was born and raised in Beijing and who attended the Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York, had opened MáLà Project in 2015. The Bib Gourmand restaurant in the East Village that specializes in Chinese cuisine and the traditional Sichuan dish Mala Dry Pot was such a success, she and her three friends-turned-business partners opened the doors to her second outpost, MáLà Project Bryant Park, in 2018. 

It seemed like things were just getting started. Then the pandemic hit, devastating the entire restaurant industry. 

“Everything was happening so fast,” Kang says, “from the moment the pandemic hit to the time we were ordered to shut down our operations.”

After weathering lockdowns and uncertainty with the first two MáLà Project locations, her third location in Midtown East opened this past November. But the last two years have been a challenge. For the month of March, Kang partnered alongside American Express and Resy’s “Every Resy Counts”— a month-long reservation drive that encourages millions of diners to make reservations in support of independent restaurants nationwide. 

Here, we spoke with the restaurant entrepreneur on how she stands her ground in one of the world's most competitive food cities.

On Bouncing Back

"The initial couple of months [post-March 2020] were really tough, because you didn’t know what to expect. We were definitely responding rather than being proactive. It was such a shock to everyone at the restaurant. 

We could have stayed open for takeout, but we couldn’t risk that. A lot of our cooks live in Flushing, Queens, so commuting was just a little too scary at the time. We closed for two months and then opened for takeout in June of 2020. We did outdoor dining when that became possible, we slowly worked our way up to indoor dining at half capacity, and then eventually, full dining service. We were blessed to be able to open up again and eventually we were able to hire back our staff who are so loyal to the restaurant."

On Growth

"I was just looking at photos from our first meeting. It was five people including one manager and our servers. I was doing the training for all of them. Three years later we have over 60 employees. We promote everyone from within, so everybody started as either a host or a server. My Director of Operations started as a host.

I want to expand the restaurant so that we can have a bigger platform for our employees to grow. I don’t want anyone to be a waiter for three years if they don’t want to. I want them to grow into new creative roles— for example, our Communications Specialist is helping us launch a YouTube channel."

On Learning

"My team has made me a better leader— we are very open when it comes to communication and feedback. My chef and the older individuals in our kitchen have really helped guide me— especially in the beginning when it came to negotiating with landlords and contractors.

When I first started, I was only 22 years old. I was a newbie in the industry. I behaved like a kid, even though I was trying so hard to be a leader within the business.

Last summer, I hired a business coach. During that time I’ve felt myself grow as a leader, friend, and business partner. During the pandemic, I had to lead from afar. Now that the business is coming back, I have to deal with a lot of politics and social pressure. Each year has presented a different challenge to overcome. As the business evolves, I evolve, too. "

On Gender Diversity

"When I was in culinary school there was a lot of masculine energy in the kitchen environment. Now, it's when I mingle and network with other restaurateurs, that I’m reminded of the fact that this is a very male-dominated industry. 

I don’t feel that same way when I'm at MáLà Project, though. It’s a pretty well-balanced dynamic between men and women. Actually, the majority of the managers are women—it wasn't intentional, it just happened to be that way. 

Women in the restaurant industry are super supportive of each other, more so than men are, and sometimes that’s overlooked. The women here have formed a very strong support system and I'm thankful for that."

Classic Espresso Martini

A fresh shot of espresso is key to a delicious espresso martini, shaken hard with vodka, coffee liquor, and lots of ice. Garnish with three espresso beans to represent three blessings: health, wealth, and happiness.

• 2 oz. Belvedere Vodka
• .75 oz. Coffee Liqueur
• 1 shot Espresso

• Combine all ingredients with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three espresso beans. 

Clouds in My Coffee

If you don’t have access to fresh espresso at home, try a recipe that leans on cold brew coffee instead. Adding in notes of coconut and vanilla will help the cocktail hint at tropical vacations. 

• 1.5 oz. BACARDÍ Coconut Rum
• 1 oz. Cold Brew Coffee
• .75 oz. Monin Vanilla Syrup

• Shake all ingredients together with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Irish Whiskey Espresso Martini

Another fun twist on an espresso martini is to swap in Irish Whiskey for vodka, providing the flavors of an Irish Coffee in your cocktail.

• 1.5 oz. Slane Irish Whiskey
• .5 oz. Cooled Espresso 
• .5 oz. Amaro
• .5 oz. Coffee Liqueur
• 3 Coffee Beans as Garnish

• Add the whiskey, espresso, amaro and coffee liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with three coffee beans.

Icelandic Espresso Martini

For a sweeter espresso martini, add a little simple syrup (which is basically liquid sugar) to your recipe. Using Reyka, a vodka from Iceland, gives an Icelandic twist to your cocktail. 

• 2 oz. Reyka Vodka
• 1 shot Espresso
• .5 oz. Simple Syrup

• Combine all ingredients with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three espresso beans. 

Gingerbread Express

If you’re looking to up your espresso martini game, making your own gingerbread syrup will take the cocktail to the next level!

• 1.5 oz Crystal Head Onyx Vodka
• .75 oz. Espresso
• .75 oz. Gingerbread Coco Lopez*
• Garnish: Star Anise

• Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with star anise.
• Gingerbread Coco Lopez directions: Add 1 can of Coco Lopez to a saucepan with 2 oz. of fresh grated ginger, 2 oz. cinnamon and 1 oz. vanilla paste. Bring everything to a boil while stirring often. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool and store in a mason jar.

Black Espresso Martini 

Mr. Black is the coffee liquor that mixologists rave about for espresso martinis. The cold extraction provides a bittersweet blend and with 25% ABV, it’ll pack an additional punch when combined with vodka in your cocktail. 

• 1 oz Humboldt Organic Vodka 
• 1.5 oz Mr. Black Coffee Liquor 
• 1 oz Espresso 

• Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a coupe glass. 

Espresso Martini Cocktail Kit

Looking for a fool-proof way to start making espresso martinis at home? The Absolut Espresso Martini Cocktail Kit includes everything you need to get started, including Absolut and Kahlua, espresso, seasonal garnishes, and a cocktail stencil, as well as a cocktail shaker and jigger.

• 1 oz. Absolut
• 1 oz. Kahlúa
• 1 oz. Espresso
• Garnish of your choice

• Fill a shaker with 1 part Absolut Vodka, 1 part Kahlúa and 1 part espresso. Add ice and shake for 15-20 seconds for a frothy foam. Top with your favorite seasonal garnish!

Espresso Rumtini

While vodka quietly blends into the coffee flavors of an espresso martini, an aged rum will bring more forward-facing flavors of vanilla and spices. 

• 1 oz. Gosling Black Seal Rum
• 1 oz. Coffee Liqueur
• 1 oz. Espresso
• .5 oz. Simple Syrup

• Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker. Shake with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with coffee beans.

The Walton Goggins Espresso Martini

Walton Goggins, the American actor best known for his standout roles in Quentin Tarantino films, co-owns Mulholland Distilling and has created a twist on the espresso martini with additional aromatic spirits that complement the bitterness of the coffee.

• 1.5 oz. Mulholland Distilling Vodka
•  .5 oz. Aquavit
• .75 oz. Espresso 
• 1 bar spoon Fernet
• 1 mint sprig and mint leaf for garnish

• Combine all ingredients except the mint leaf into a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with mint leaf.

Nonalcoholic Espresso Martini

Enjoy the buzz of espresso without the addition of alcohol with a boozeless faux-tini recipe. Three Spirit Social Elixir is a great-tasting alcohol alternative and the addition of maple syrup as a sweetener will provide an extra layer of flavor! 

• 2 oz. Three Spirit Social Elixir
• 1 oz. espresso 
• 1 1/2 bar spoons of maple syrup

• Add all ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker or a mason jar. Shake hard until ice-cold and strain through a tea strainer into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with grated raw cocoa beans.

If you're stuck on ideas, there are plenty of options for your hungry host-with-the-most. This year has birthed dozens of incredible cookbooks with cuisines from all over the world. Kitchen tools have gotten increasingly more advanced—and a hell of a lot cuter. There are countless kitchen towels, spice racks, and measuring cups to spruce up the dull corners of someone's kitchen. Hey, there's even designer aprons. Ahead, the best food gifts to help your friend cook, eat, and enjoy this holiday season.

Few things are as deliciously indulgent as sipping a glass of bubbly. But what sometimes gets lost in the drinking is the story of how the wine got to our doorstep. Haynes shines a light on this process, revealing the care, attention, and thought that goes into every bottle of G&M Crémant de Loire.

If the word “Crémant” isn’t familiar yet, some background: Crémant is a group of sparkling wines from France, made in the same traditional method as Champagne. Crémants come from eight wine regions, including the Loire Valley. Gratien & Meyer has kept cellars in the Loire’s gorgeous Valley of Kings since 1864, where each bottle of its Crémant Brut and Crémant Rosé, is made with care and precision, using techniques traditional to the style.

So how do you improve on that? Well, first, you pick the right person. Florence Haynes grew up in Paris and initially got her degree in engineering with a focus on physics and chemical analysis, which led her to spend years traveling the world as a product manager in the energy industry. But Champagne-born Haynes remained a wine-enthusiast throughout, and when she went back to school to receive a degree in oenology—the study of wines— that engineering knowhow translated amazingly well to her next step. After a few years working in viticulture and consulting for vineyards, she joined the team at Gratien & Meyer.

By bringing a scientific precision and passion to her winemaking, Haynes revamped G&M’s beloved Crémants de Loire adding a new level of elegance to these classic wines. Under her guidance, the traditional techniques of the Crémant de Loire are kept intact, but Haynes also brought in thoughtful contemporary touches, like making each wine vegan and gluten-free, and refining the blends for more balance. also incorporated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from the region to bring out more of the aromatics and elegant flavors of the wine.

Haynes’ additions have brought a classic wine to the next level of excellence, showing just how much women can bring to the winemaking space. Santé to that.

Shop the G&M Crémant Brut and Rosé sparkling offerings here, and be sure to visit the brand on Instagram @gmcremant.