Daniel's Dish: Toast Masters

Celebrate the social season with three chic drinks that will turn any cocktail party into a sensational soirée

Written by Daniel Boulud • Styled by Marina Malchin

Americans truly enjoy the social aspect of imbibing interesting cocktails before sitting down to dinner. There's a rich history of mixed drinks here, from the Cocktail -- that was its actual name -- in the early 19th century to the martini, the quintessential symbol of the 1930s. Since the holiday season will be here before you know it, I thought I'd suggest three special recipes for fall and winter get-togethers.

The White Cosmopolitan is one of our restaurants' most popular drinks. Because it uses white cranberry juice rather than red, it is visually surprising (the typical Cosmo is pink, as everybody knows from Sex and the City). For a large party, you can mix it in bulk and serve it in a punch bowl. We add an orchid frozen in a ball of ice, which creates a striking presentation. Cran-Apple Crush -- a blend of vodka, brown sugar, green apple, and cranberries with a splash of lime juice for acidity and simple syrup for sweetness -- illustrates how my menu changes to reflect the seasons; it would be perfect preturkey on Thanksgiving. The last drink is a Rose Royale, a variation on the French 75, named for a gun used in WWI. What makes this different from the classic combination of Champagne, lemon juice, and gin is the addition of rose syrup. Cheers!

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