We've entered November and soon the crisp autumn days of fall will turn bitterly cold and frozen with snow. So in the final hours of autumnal flavor, take your chance to enjoy cocktails infused with flavors of apple, pumpkin, cinnamon and clove.
Remember, when a recipe calls for one part, it’s simply the measurement to which all other measures in the recipe should be compared. Therefore, if one cup is one part, half part would be half cup. Make the recipe your own and this way, you ensure to end up with as many drinks as you desire.
Enjoy responsibly this season!
Apple Cider Martini
The Appletini has long been a staple of martini lounge menus. Usually made with sour apple schnapps, this recipe uses fresh ingredients and tones down the overtly sweet sugars.
Ingredients: 1.5 oz. cinnamon clove infused vodka, .25 oz. apple cider, 1.5 tsp. apple brandy, sliced apple, ice.
Preparation: Chill a martini glass. Rinse martini glass with apple brandy for a thin coating and then dump it out. Combine vodka, apple cider and ice in a martini shaker. Strain liquid mixture into a martini glass and garnish with an apple slice.
Early Autumn
The long list of ingredients for this drink may seem daunting but the result is well worth the effort. Spicy nods found in ginger beer and bitters coupled with a touch of apple cider and pear brandy blends classic cocktail concepts with favorite fall ingredients.
Ingredients: 1.5 oz. gin, ½ oz. lucid absinthe, 1 oz. apple cider, ½ oz. pear brandy, ½ oz. fresh lemon juice, two dashes bitters, ginger beer, cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
Preparation: Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick.
Pumpkin Devine
This cocktail calls for the elusive pumpkin butter. A seasonal fruit butter, pumpkin butter is made by boiling pumpkin pulp, water, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice until it reaches a thick, rich consistency. The need to prep pumpkin butter before combining the mixer’s ingredients is time consuming, but make a large serving once and you’ll have a stock in the fridge all fall long.
Ingredients: one part pear vodka, one part pumpkin butter, ½ part triple sec, ½ part simple syrup, pinch of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger, grated nutmeg and apple chip for garnish
Preparation: Put all ingredients into a martini shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with nutmeg and apple chip.
Herb’s Harvest
If the sweetness of pumpkin and cider martinis is too much for you, opt for this savory, sour fall cocktail.
Ingredients: two parts rosemary infused vodka, ½ part pear puree, ½ part lemon juice, ¼ part almond syrup, ¾ part cranberry juice, sprig of rosemary for garnish.
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a martini shaker and shake well. Strain into a highball filled with ice and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Maureen Post grew up in Wauwatosa. A lover of international and urban culture, Maureen received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
After living on the east side of Madison for several years, Maureen returned to Milwaukee in 2006.
After a brief stint of travel, Maureen joined OnMilwaukee.com as the city’s oldest intern and has been hooked ever since. Combining her three key infatuations, Milwaukee’s great music, incredible food and inspiring art (and yes, in that order), Maureen’s job just about fits her perfectly.
Residing in Bay View, Maureen vehemently believes the city can become fresh and new with a simple move across town.
