02 Jan Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Continuing A New Years Tradition Virtually

As we said goodbye to 2020, most of us were in our own homes. This is not how I typically spend New Years Eve. For the past seven years, I have had the tradition of going to lunch with friends and then celebrating at Big Bar in Los Feliz where we would count down and toast each hour while enjoying a cocktail inspired by a country celebrating that same hour. Unfortunately, this year we could not gather together. But, that did not stop our tradition. Our friends at Big Bar pivoted and put together a to-go cocktail package that we could enjoy in the comfort of our own homes. Then we met via Zoom and celebrated! That is why Continuing a New Years Tradition Virtually is the Please The Palate pick of the week. I place my order online and drove to Los Feliz to pick up my cocktail kit. I was greeted by a masked Eugene Lee who safely handed me by to-go package. Inside my package was everything I would need to make four different cocktails, as well as some fun celebratory items like a NYE hat and a noise maker! While we would not be doing New Years Eve x 10 as we have done in the past, we would be doing NYE x 4 celebrating four different time zones with four different cocktails. So, inside my package were four cards for four different cocktails, inspired by Kyoto, Japan, Paris, France, Louisville, Kentucky, and Oaxaca, Mexico. On the back of the cards were the instructions to serve each cocktail. And then the fun began! First Zoom chat was with the Big Bar crew and friends to count down at the 6:oopm hour. Kyoto – Suntory Roku Gin, yuzu liqueur, pink peppercorn, lemon, tonic Paris – Remy 1738 Cognac, pineapple, cinnamon, turbinado sugar, lemon, PX sherry, Champagne Oaxaca – Illegal Mezcal, pineapple shrub, lime, jalapeno, maraschino, tonic Louisville – Old Forester 100pf Bourbon, lemon, grenadine, angostura, bitters, Champagne From 6pm until 11pm, I toasted each hour with friends online. I enjoyed four delicious cocktails, as well as Ayala Champagne, and lots of great conversation. It was fun to countdown and toast online each hour and then, when I was ready, I simply walked to my bedroom, crawled into bed, and got a good night’s sleep. Nothing can stop our New Years tradition. We may not have been able to gather and count down in person, but we gathered online and still celebrated! And hopefully next New Year’s Eve, we will be able to toast in person. Happy 2021!