First, welcome to the new website of DowntownRob.com – a brand new design and a migration in the works for a few months, now featuring revamped categories, new navigation menu, new ratings and review options, and most importantly, is now mobile friendly with a superb responsive design. Enjoy! Please leave comments with your thoughts. Look for a boost in new posting activity soon, some new contributors, and special offers and giveaways only in our newsletter – sign up on the right side today.

To celebrate the new website, I want to share this great cocktail recipe I received a while ago from the fine folks at Harney Sushi, which I’m reviving for the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. Cheers!

Pumpkin Spice Cocktail Recipe

Part 1: Pumpkin Puree

• 1 cup diced pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 3 juniper berries
• 3 ea allspice berries
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Instructions: In a sauce pan combine all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, or until very soft, and blend on high until smooth. Set aside and cool.

Part 2: Vanilla Soju

• 3 ea vanilla beans
• 1 bottle soju

Instructions: Split the vanilla beans and put the entire beans into the soju bottle. Leave for four days.

Part 3: Creating the Pumpkin Spice Cocktail

• 3 oz vanilla soju
• 1 1/2 oz pumpkin puree
• 1 ea cinnamon stick for garnish
• Add cool whip to garnish
• 4 ea micro edible flowers

Instructions: In a shaker combine soju and pumpkin puree and shake with ice, strain into chilled martini glass and float cool whip over the top. Garnish with cinnamon and flowers.

Enjoy!