As the holiday season approaches, gatherings at home or at friends’ places naturally become more frequent. So today, I’d like to introduce cocktail and snack recipes that look stylish and festive, yet are incredibly easy to make. So if the cold weather during the holidays is keeping you in, all you need is one great bottle and a thoughtful food pairing to elevate an ordinary evening at home, to a refined culinary experience for you and your guests.

Of course, they’re also perfect for elevating an ordinary evening at home, your living room instantly transforms into a small, refined lounge.

All you need is one great bottle and a thoughtful food pairing.

The bottle I recommend for such a special aperitivo is Amaro Yuntaku.

You may have seen Yuntaku at well-known Japanese restaurants or popular cocktail bars. It’s truly one of a kind, the first Japanese amaro, made with Okinawan goya as its base and combined with Japanese herbs and spices. It features a delicate aroma and flavor profile.

Its oriental spice notes become even more expressive in a highball, and it pairs wonderfully with raw fish or dishes with a touch of bitterness. It also harmonizes beautifully with classic soda or citrus soda, the goya’s bitterness and the spicy hints of ginger and Sichuan pepper balance nicely with more acidic dishes.

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A Highball-Style Cocktail Made with YUNTAKU

YUNTAKU is excellent as a standalone after-dinner drink, but when crafted into an aperitivo cocktail, it reveals another lovely side of its personality. With a  balance, not too sweet, not too bitter. It offers soft aromas of jasmine tea, green cardamom, and other Eastern flowers and spices.

Let’s make a highball that’s perfect for a special moment.

Ingredients are very simple:

・50 ml YUNTAKU
・Ginger beer (or Sicilian lemonade). Ginger beer for a more assertive highball. Sicilian Lemonade for a more mellow cocktail.
・Ice
・Lemon peel (optional)

How to prepare:

1. Pour Yuntaku into a tall highball glass filled with ice.

2. Gently pour the ginger beer or Sicilian lemonade, then give it one gentle stir to combine.

3. Garnish with a lemon peel twist or lemon wedge.

Spice and herbal notes rise beautifully, leaving a jasmine tea–like finish. The clean, refreshing bitterness pairs wonderfully with sashimi and other Japanese dishes.

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Two Japanese-Inspired Snacks: Quick Pickles & Cavolo Nero Chips

Here are two Japanese-style snacks made with ingredients and seasonings that are easy to find even in Italy. Both are simple, yet add an elegant and unique touch to your table. (They also make great vegetarian options!)

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Quick Pickles (Asazuke)

A familiar everyday item in Japan, quick pickles are versatile and highlight the pure flavor of vegetables.

Ingredients:
Your choice of vegetables (cabbage, cucumber, carrot, radish, eggplant, etc.)
Salt, dashi powder

How to prepare:

1. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

2. Sprinkle salt equal to 2% of the vegetable weight, and dashi powder equal to 1%. Massage well.

3. Place in a plastic bag, remove as much air as possible, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

4. Add a little soy sauce if you wish.

The umami of the vegetables concentrates beautifully, and the pickles pair perfectly with a YUNTAKU highball.

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Cavolo Nero Crispy Chips

These chips are light, crisp, and aromatic, and baking them intensifies their flavor. You can eat a lot without any guilt, which is a bonus.

Ingredients:
Cavolo nero, sesame oil, salt

How to prepare:

1. Wash the nero cavolo and drain thoroughly.

2. Cut into suitable sizes, and toss with sesame oil and salt.

3. Bake at 180°C (or in a toaster oven) for 10–12 minutes, until crisp.

Their crunchy texture pairs perfectly with a refreshing long drink.

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Your Best Friend for Home Parties

Both of these dishes are extremely easy to prepare, yet instantly bring a sense of “something special” to your table. They also make great contributions to a potluck-style home party.

With YUNTAKU, you can enjoy a high-quality cocktail without complicated preparation or hard-to-find ingredients. It’s perfect for cozy evenings with friends, a pre-Christmas toast, or transforming your home into a stylish social space with an authentic feel.

And the beautiful YUNTAKU bottle makes a wonderful holiday gift as well.

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Recipes

Yuntaku Highball

Ingredients (1 serving):

・Amaro Yuntaku 50ml
・Fever-Tree ginger beer (or Sicilian lemonade)
・Plenty of ice
・Lemon peel (optional)

Method:
Pour Yuntaku into a highball glass filled with ice and swirl to chill.
Gently top with ginger beer and give one soft stir.
Finish with a spritz of lemon peel oil.

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Quick Pickles (Asazuke)

Ingredients:
Your choice of vegetables (cabbage, cucumber, carrot, radish, eggplant, etc.)
Salt, powdered dashi

Method:
Cut vegetables into small pieces.
Massage with salt equal to 2% of their weight and dashi powder equal to 1%.
Seal in a plastic bag, removing as much air as possible.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Add soy sauce if desired.

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Nero Cavolo Crispy Chips

Ingredients:
Nero cavolo, sesame oil, salt

Method:
Wash and drain, then cut into appropriate sizes.
Toss with sesame oil and salt.
Bake at 180°C (or in a toaster oven) for 10–12 minutes until crisp.

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