A Christmas tipple for Mr & Mrs Claus

Sample menu only, view current menus.

A bit of the Festive Cocktail History at L’Ortolan

Festive Cocktails at Restaurant Reading

During the run up to Christmas in 2005, the then L’Ortolan Head Chef Will Holland received a huge order of figs in order to prepare them for the December menu. The figs were to be poached and served with luxury vanilla panacotta, so during November they were lightly cooked and placed in large preserving jars filled to the brim with a poaching liquor made with red wine, port, ginger, cinnamon, oranges and lemons, cloves, demerara sugar, star anise, vanilla, black peppercorns, and bay leaves.

At the end of the month, the figs were removed from the jars, ready to be prepared for portioning and service in December – and we were left with 30 litres of the most amazing tasting fluid in the jars! What better way to use this spiced liquid to create a ‘syrup’ to add to sparkling wine – Kir Royale style!

Each year we bring you a stunning Christmas Cocktail to be enjoyed with our at L’Ortolan, for 2016, we are treating you to two festive drinks: the Mr & Mrs Claus Christmas Cocktails!

Launching 1st December! Come on in to our cosy bar before your festive meal and taste the Christmas creations.

Mr Claus’s Old Fashioned

58ml of L’Ortolan’s home infused Cinnamon whisky
3 orange slices
2 sugar cubes soaked in a splash of angostura bitters which is a strong botanically infused rum encasing an array of herbs and spices – we only add a touch as this old spiced rum will knock your winter socks off!
And of course, ice to finish it off

Mrs Claus’s Champagne Cocktail

25ml of L’Ortolan’s home infused Cinnamon whisky
1 sugar cube soaked with 10ml of chocolate bitters
25ml Cointreau
Topped up with chilled champagne

Don’t miss out! To welcome in the Christmas month, we are treating you to 20% off food menus for lunch on 1st December, including our new festive lunch menu! Not only that, but to win these two free festive cocktails with your lunch.