Fall Cocktails Are Here!
By Vicki Cruz
Figs, pears, yams! Persimmons, and quince!
Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you can’t craft a great tasting cocktail. Seasonal summer fruits and vegetables are gone but with the colder months of winter come a new crop of ingredients that add flavor, texture and uniqueness to any cocktail. Below are some cocktails crafted with winter flavorings. Bring it on, winter!
Fig Poppa
Courtesy of Kris Rizzato
Ingredients:
- 3/4 oz. Fig Infused Slow Hand Six Woods Whiskey
- 3/4 oz. Armada Oloroso Sherry
- 1 oz. Lime Juice
- 3/4 oz. Cane Syrup
- 1 dash Black Walnut Bitter
- Splash Soda Water
- Mint Bouquet (for Garnish)
Preparation: Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Serve in a collins glass, include a splash of soda water, on the rocks. Garnish with a mint bouquet.
La Nina
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Hendricks Gin
- 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- 1/2 oz. Honey Rosemary Syrup
- 1 Fig
- Soda Water (to Top)
- Rosemary Sprig (for Garnish)
Preparation: Combine lemon juice, honey rosemary syrup and St. Germain in a martini shaker and muddle the fig into this. Add Hendricks Gin and shake with ice. Strain cocktail using a fine mesh strainer into an empty collins glass. Add fresh ice to the top and then top with soda water. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Pera Autonno
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Strained Pear Purée
- 1/2 oz. Pear Liqueur
- 1 1/2 oz. Absolut Vanilla Vodka
- 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
- 1/4 oz. Lime Juice
- 2 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a martini shaker. Shake over ice vigorously until a nice froth forms. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with two fresh thyme sprigs by gently rubbing the thyme between your fingers to release the oils and aromatics. Rim the glass with the thyme and then lay in the middle of the cocktail as garnish.
Fall Fashioned Yam
Courtesy of Christa Roelle, Mixologist
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Jefferson Bourbon
- 1 Sugar Cube
- 1 Luxardo Cherry
- 6-8 dashes House Made Yam Bitters*
- 1 Dehydrated Orange Garish (Lightly Dusted with Equal Part Sugar Nutmeg, and Cinnamon then Dehydrated)
Preparation: Prepare the sugar cube with approximately 6-8 dashes house-made yam bitters or until the cube is soaked. Muddle the cherry and sugar cube. Add Jefferson Bourbon. Stir with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the dehydrated orange slice.
*Christa Roelle says:
“The house made Yam bitters was an experiment gone right and we are very fortunate it turned out so well! The chefs jokingly called it my witch’s brew because it wasn’t an exact recipe. We dehydrate yams: purple and orange for the yam flavor. We also dehydrated artichoke leaves, dandelion root, orange peel as bittering agents. Then star anise, cinnamon, clove, cardamom as spices. We added Knob Creek as a high proof spirit to infuse with and shook daily for three weeks. Once we decided the bitters were ready we strained and bottled.”
Spiced Diospyros, a Vodka Persimmon Cocktail
Courtesy of Jessica Torres
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Vodka, Such as Reyka
- 1/4 oz. Dolin Blanc Vermouth
- 1/4 Ripe Hachiya Persimmon
- 1/2 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1 bar spoon St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
- 1 dash Orange Bitters
Preparation: Place persimmon in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add the rest of the ingredients and fill shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a dried persimmon slice if you happen to have one. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy your drink.
Fall Fruit Punch
Courtesy of Autumn Giles
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Light Rum, Such as El Dorado
- 1 oz. Dark Rum, Such as Plantation
- 1 oz. Homemade Quince Syrup*
- 1/4 oz. Allspice Dram
- 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice (from 1 Lemon)
- 1 oz. Pear Nectar
- Lemon Peel (for Garnish)
Preparation: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add quince syrup, allspice dram, lemon juice, pear nectar, light rum, and dark rum. Shake until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish with lemon peel if desired.
*Quince Syrup
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. Quince (Peeled and Cut into Quarters)
- 5 cups Water
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup Sugar
Preparation: In a large saucepan, combine the quince, water, honey, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the quince are fork tender, 45-50 minutes. Let cool slightly and strain off the syrup. There should be about 1 1/4 cup of syrup. If not, add water or gently reduce over low heat. Reserve the poached quince for another use and refrigerate the syrup until ready to use.