Raise the bar

If you’re planning a swank holiday cocktail party, you may want to spruce up your bar choices. I asked Mark Rudkin, spirits manager at David Berkley Fine Wines & Foods, for some picks to fancy up your next fête:

1. “You could do chocolate martinis, which is crème de cacao and vodka, with a little Baileys.”

2. “Another thing that’s popular is Pama, a pomegranate liqueur, which was in Oprah’s magazine. You can do pomegranate cosmos—instead of using the cranberry juice, you can use the pomegranate.”

3. “A hazelnut martini: equal parts of Frangelico, vodka, and lemon juice, and you sugar the rim. Those are really good.”

4. “If you want something for after dinner, Nocino is really good. It’s got a little bit of spice to it that’ll cleanse the palate. It’s a nice relaxing after-dinner drink.”