It’s autumn, and suddenly, they’re everywhere again. Apples. Fuji. Pink Lady. Golden Delicious. As if an apple a day isn’t enough, now you’re probably eating around five a day. While apples today are seen as a generally healthy thing, they have also symbolized less wholesome moments. Take Eve in the Garden of Eden. Or Paris giving the golden apple to Aphrodite. Or, apple cocktails.
Indeed, some people go apple picking, while others opt for apple drinking. For those of you that can’t pop over to an apple grove for fresh apples, the produce section of your grocery store will do just fine. Then pop into your home bar, and put those apples to good use—perhaps with some apple brandy or some ginger beer like the folks at Hangar 1 Vodka. Or go full on fall with Casa Nonna’s pumpkin spice syrup, which incorporates apple cider, pumpkin spice syrup, and tequila.
Here’s an apple cocktail a day, to keep the doctor away.
Sparkling Apple Cider with Thyme
Courtesy of ONE HOPE WINE
Ingredients
8 oz. Dark Rum
3 oz. Lemon Juice
4 oz. Thyme Simple Syrup (recipe below)
12 oz. Apple Cider
1 bottle (750ml) ONEHOPE Sparkling Wine
4 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Springs of Thyme for garnish
Ingredients for Thyme Simple Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups Water
10 sprigs Thyme
Directions: Combine sugar, water and 10 sprigs of thyme in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely (about five minutes). Remove from heat and place the syrup in the refrigerator to cool (about 90 minutes). Place all ingredients (except sparkling wine) in a large pitcher or carafe. Fill your glasses with crushed ice and fill half with mixture. Top with sparkling wine and serve with a few sprigs of thyme for garnish.
Apple Hinny
Photo Courtesy of Jason Cousins
Recipe Courtesy of Hangar 1 Vodka
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Hangar 1 Straight Vodka
1 oz. Fresh Green Apple Juice
½ oz. Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Ginger beer
Nutmeg dusting
Directions: Combine and serve over ice. Garnish with Apple fan.
Zucca Cooler
Courtesy of Lindsey Levine – Casa Nonna New York
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Reposado Tequila
1 oz. Fresh Apple Cider
½ oz. Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain over a large ice cube into a rock glass. Garnish with a dehydrated apple chip.
