Getting into the holiday spirits

Evelyn Hsu
Evelyn Hsu is the sommelier at the newly reopened Peacock Alley at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Her interest in pharmaceuticals and the balance of elements led her to develop an interest in the creation of cocktails.

Previously, she helped open the Red Eye Grill and Shelly’s New York, and was the beverage director at Trattoria dell’Arte and at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurants Mercer Kitchen and 66.

Currently, Hsu is serving a line of signature Peacock Alley cocktails, using innovative ingredients such as pomegranate-based liqueur and green tea infusions. She tries to arrange seasonal cocktails around whatever fruit is in season.

“Very much like a chef when they like to work with the farmers market and find produce that is in season, I like to find fruits that are ripe,” says Hsu.

She offers two recipes for fall: The Ultimate Sin is served cold, while her Apple Cider is served warm, to offset the cold outside.

Evelyn's secret weapon for the perfect cocktail: “It is crucial to use the freshest ingredients. Also, believe it or not, the type of ice used plays a major role as well. For example, if you want a perfect martini, the larger the ice, the colder the martini. And give it a good shake!”