Culinary and mixology come together. The culinary signature cocktail is emerging as a top trend in 2011-2012, taking guests beyond the traditional mocktail or cocktail into a visual culinary landscape.

The impressive rise in high-quality cocktails and cocktail menus in hotels is real and it’s sustainable. But all too often there’s one substandard ingredient – ice.

Full story on beverage trends by Dress the Drink and insider info from David Wondrich, Doug Frost, Christine Sismondo and many more. Plus common hangover remedies and prevention – fact or fiction?

With more selections on the wine list comes more inventory, more logistics headaches, and more intimidation for your staff and guests. So what is the perfect number of wines for a list, and how do you determine what that number should be for your list?

Even though I love the ski season, some of my best memories come from visiting warm weather locations in the wintertime. This got me to thinking about what the hot trends in cocktails and great destinations will be this winter.

“Hangover Coach” Kendra Strasburg of CRAVE Health passes along suggestions for getting through the New Year’s Eve festivities without spending the first morning of the year worshipping the porcelain gods.
 Several cocktail recipes.

“Rock & Rye can be served hot with excellent effect to fight off colds, influenza’s, miasmas, megrims, swamp mists, and blackwater fevers. In fact any sort of excuse seems to work.” – Charles H. Baker, Jr., The Gentleman’s Companion, 1946

A classic martini gets a festive makeover when garnished with oil-cured olives on a skewer of fragrant rosemary.

2012 Competition Dates are Announced

New Cinnamon flavor closely follows the runaway success of Evan Williams Honey and Cherry Reserves

Secret passages, gangsters, and bootlegging . . . these scream Boardwalk Empire, but they are all true historical aspects of the Canadian Club Distillery in Windsor, Canada.

The 9th Annual Wines of Chile Awards winners were announced last week, resulting in 17 trophies being awarded to the country’s best wineries. For the third consecutive year, a Syrah took home the Best in Show distinction, an honor awarded to Tamaya Winemaker’s Selection 2010 Syrah.

Wine Director and Lead Sommelier, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

Using social media. By Elizabeth A. DeConti. Esq of GrayRobinson, P.A.