While this holiday season is an unprecedented one, there's still plenty of virtual holiday parties being planned. For Playbill's holiday coverage, we reached out to Broadway bartender Joseph Ortiz for a few cocktail recipes that you can share with friends and family.
Meet Ortiz below, learn about his Broadway past, and try out his drink recipes below.
"I'm a 28-year old Latinx actor from Queens, New York. I was introduced to theatre early on in life, having seen The Lion King as a kid and being able to go backstage of Wicked in high school," he says. "I graduated with a B.A. in theatre from CUNY City College in Manhattan, and I worked as a bartender on Broadway for four years up until the pandemic shut everything down."
While the bars may be closed in the theatre district, Ortiz isn't sitting idly by for Broadway's return. "I started a feminist podcast called Women of HERstory with my partner Heather Shore—who also helped with these drink recipes—during the pandemic. We utilize our platform to help recognize & celebrate women of the past and present."
All recipes make 2 servings.
GINgle All The Way
Ingredients:
• 8 oz. gin
• 1 oz. elderflower liqueur
• 1/3 oz. rose water
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
Instructions:
1. Put ingredients into cocktail shaker
2. Shake well and pour over ice
3. Top with 2 oz. of champagne
4. Garnish with rosemary sprig & two raspberries
Santini
Ingredients:
• 8 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 2 oz. maraschino cherry juice
Instructions:
1. Put ingredients into cocktail shaker
2. Pour into sugar rimmed martini glass
3. Garnish with a cherry
Kickin' Cocoa
Ingredients:
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Sprinkle of cayenne pepper (a little goes a long way)
• 1/8 tablespoon of nutmeg
• 6 oz. cinnamon whiskey
Instructions:
1. Warm up milk in a saucepan and simmer (do not let boil)
2. Add dry ingredients to the milk and stir, making cocoa
3. Pour whiskey into your favorite holiday mug
4. Pour cocoa to the mug, stir to combine
4. Garnish with whipped cream or marshmallows & a cinnamon stick
