With the Oscars (a.k.a.*Vanity Fair’*s Olympics, our Kentucky Derby, our Super Bowl) fast approaching, many of us here could use an extra drink. With that in mind, this week’s cocktail hour brings you not one, but two cocktails from La Sirena, Mario Batali’s latest, highly anticipated restaurant in New York’s Maritime Hotel.

Since opening earlier this month, bartender Meaghan Montagano has been hard at work creating an extensive menu of cocktails that pairs perfectly with Batali’s classic Italian fare. Categories include “Stirred and Boozy,” “Rich and Robust,” and even a charming trio of “Nitecaps.” Two standouts are the In Vacanza and the Coppa di Sicilia: the first is extravagant yet crisp, the second spicy and a little more understated.

The Coppa is a nod to one of Batali’s favorite spirits, Averna. Montagano describes it as “a sort of a hybrid Pimm’s Cup, a fresh and bright twist on the bitter spirit.” She adds, “What’s of particular importance to me is that our cocktails don’t clash with Mario’s food. And the Coppa strikes the perfect balance—it’s spicy, gingery, easy to drink with low alcohol content."

Of the In Vacanza (which means “on holiday” in Italian), Montagano says it’s “meant to embody the spirit of vacation during the New York winter.” God knows we could all use one of those (the vacation, we mean).

In Vacanza
by Meaghan Montagano

1¾ oz Absolut Elyx
1 oz El Dorado three-year-old rum
¾ oz Velvet Falernum
¾ oz Amontillado Sherry
½ oz lemon juice
½ oz caramelized pineapple purée
3 dashes Bittermens Tiki Bitters
3 dashes Bittermens Mole Bitters

Combine all ingredients in shaker tin, add a generous scoop of ice, and shake vigorously. Strain over ice into tropical glassware and garnish with edible nasturtium flowers and pineapple leaves.

Coppa di Sicilia
by Meaghan Montagano

2 os Averna Amaro
1 oz cucumber syrup (method below)
¾ oz freshly juiced ginger root
½ os lime juice
Ginger Beer to top

Place Averna, cucumber syrup, juiced ginger, lime juice, and a generous scoop of ice into a shaker tin and shake vigorously. Pour Q Ginger Beer into the tin, then strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a cucumber star and candied ginger.

Cucumber syrup: Juice four cucumbers and measure the juice yielded. Combine cucumber juice with the same amount of white sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for three minutes. Allow to cool before using.