Venezuelan-born Ezra Star is an acclaimed bartender and one of the world’s foremost mixologists, boasting around 25 years of experience in the bar industry. She began crafting cocktails at the age of 18, a time when few women were working behind the bar. Initially, she pursued medical school, studying chemistry and public health to become a doctor. Interestingly, the chemistry knowledge she accumulated plays a bigger role in managing bar operations than in crafting drinks, which she believes are more about taste, flavor, and building connections.
Ezra served as the general manager at Boston’s award-winning cocktail bar, Drink, before relocating to Hong Kong to establish her own ventures. She opened Mostly Harmless in 2022 during the pandemic, and it quickly became one of the hottest bars in the city. Mostly Harmless embraces the principles of a kaiseki bar, emphasizing seasonality in drinks rather than food and offering a tasting menu approach.
“Mostly Harmless has been an incredible journey, expanding from just myself to a team of ten,” Ezra explains. “It spans two floors, with a bistro downstairs offering weekly changing food and drink that includes unique fermented items. Upstairs, the focus is on daily-changing cocktails, all sourced from local farms,” she adds. She eventually teamed up with her real-life partner, Beckaly Franks (Bartender’s Bartender in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023), to establish the Hungry Ghost, which is now the proprietor of other thriving venues, the neighborhood resto bar Call Me Al and the hidden bar Artifact.
Ezra Star has a complex relationship with Christmas, influenced by a blend of cultural traditions. Her connection to the holiday is enriched by Swedish, Venezuelan, and American customs. The Swedish influence comes from both her roots and the significant time she spent with Swedish family and friends. On the American side, her mother’s traditions have had an impact, incorporating elements like gift-giving on Christmas Eve and enjoying a festive meal, following a more Navidad-style celebration, including special treats like Christmas bread. Now residing in Hong Kong, Ezra and her wife have crafted their own unique traditions for the holiday. They spend the day making a comforting beef stew, enjoying each other’s company, and watching movies. Christmas has become a day for them to relax, enjoy time off, and simply be together.
For DrinkCollectiv’s Christmas Cocktail series, Ezra shared with us a special recipe that reminds her of Christmas mornings. “For a period in my life, I had the wonderful opportunity to experience a traditional British Christmas,” Ezra shares. “I fondly remember sneaking downstairs in the mornings to enjoy a bit of Christmas pudding for breakfast, often with a splash of rum. In Venezuela, we also have a similar tradition of making rum pudding. Inspired by nostalgic memories of sneaking secret bites of pudding, she created a cocktail that captures the essence of that mischievous morning indulgence.
Christmas Cocktail Recipe: Secret Mornings
Watch the video below to learn how to make the cocktail:
Ingredients:
15ml Lemon juice
20ml Spiced orgeat
50 Butter-washed Cognac
15ml overproof rum
How to make the butter-washed Cognac:
To fat-wash the Cognac, combine melted butter with the spirit at room temperature, let it sit for a few hours, and then chill everything in the fridge or freezer until the fat solidifies, allowing you to easily skim off the butter.
Directions:
In a shaker, combine all ingredients and fill with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled. Before serving, ignite the glass with overproof rum.
Tasting notes:
“It tastes like Christmas,” shares Ezra. “Baking spices, raisins, rum, great to enjoy with your loved ones for the holiday,” she ends.
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