Six Celebratory Holiday Cocktails

A punch, some eggnog, a classic Manhattan and more for seasonal entertaining

As the seasons shift, so do cocktail menus at bars, restaurants and even within homes—and that’s largely due to the palates of consumers seeking out a drink to match the spirit of the times. With holiday parties in abundance, the following options offer up reliable cheer with many different drinkers in mind. A punch is easiest to throw together for large groups, while a perfect …

Biochemist to Barista: The New Scoops

Jack Benchakul's journey from science to specialty coffee, which he now serves up in LA's Chinatown

by Chérmelle D. Edwards Nearly three years ago, biochemist Jack Benchakul switched professions and became a barista. Applying science to the craft of specialty coffee, he’s popped up in in at least 10 Los Angeles locations since then. Under the helm of Cognoscenti Coffee, a Culver City coffee shop whose newest outpost is at Scoops in Chinatown, he’s now moonlighting in its 500-square-foot space, on …

Det Lilla Köksbryggeriet: The Little Kitchen Brewery

Make a delicious craft beer in your own kitchen with this simple home brewing kit

Craft beers are well and truly taking over the bar scene in the US and Europe, as an ever-growing number of microbreweries continue to educate and delight people with unusual lagers, ales and porters. But for the true beer connoisseur, it might be time to try taking the next step: home brewing. In Sweden, beer lovers Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg have made it easy …