The peppermint espresso martini at Hyatt Carmel Highlands presents a serious problem. It’s simply too pretty to drink.
You crave it, but if you give in to temptation and reach for the stem, you might disturb the crust of holiday color adorning the rim. The trio of coffee beans resting in a sea of foam might bobble and disappear from sight. The star anise adding flair to the glass could topple and splash.
As with all those promises for the new year, however, human resolve is quick to waver. And the cocktail rewards your faltering ways with a shot of rich, creamy espresso laced with vanilla and hints of dark chocolate with a trail of spirited spice. The coating of crushed candy cane on the rim lends an herbal rasp, but otherwise rests in the background.
Peppermint espresso is a play on the bar’s popular espresso martini, with Grey Goose vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Tia Maria and espresso. For the holidays, the hotel’s Director of Food & Beverage Aaron Dominguez decided to infuse the vodka with nutmeg, anise and peppermint, as well.
“Let’s take our favorite cocktail and give it a festive feel,” he says.
The candy cane carcanet provides sparkle to the eyes and tingles on your lips. Because the coated rim is allowed to dry, it remains set fast to the glass, so the sensation is there after each sip. “What feels like the holidays?” Dominguez says.
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