apple brandy

here's a quick and refreshing cocktail inspired by a drink from jg domestic that i tasted on a recent trip to philly. it went perfectly with the hickory smoked georgia pecans with maple & bacon! we used apple brandy from harvest spirits for this libation - they are located in the hudson valley and apparently give tours and tastings at their distillery. sounds like we need to take a road trip soon!

The Philadelphia

makes 1

1 oz high quality gin

1 oz apple brandy

1 tbs meyer lemon juice

2 tsp maple syrup

3 1/2 oz club soda

1 sprig thyme

1 slice of apple

in a cocktail shaker, combine gin, brandy, lemon juice and maple syrup with ice and shake well. pour into a high ball glass, top with club soda and stir. garnish with thyme and apple. enjoy!

grape crush

concord grapes are still in season and covered in bees at the local greenmarket. we've seen lots of great inspirations of how to use them around town - jellies, sorbet and a wonderful cocktail at Gramercy Tavern. we used these delicious seasonal grapes last year in an amazing grape tart. this year we decided to try a cocktail, The Grape Crush. make the grape concentrate and simple syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge so you can whip up a cocktail whenever you feel the urge! hope everyone has a great weekend and a happy halloween!

The Grape Crush

serves 1

2 oz Hendricks gin

1 oz fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)

1 oz grape concentrate, see recipe below

2 tbs lemon simple syrup, see recipe below

4 oz soda water

in a cocktail shaker, combine gin, lime juice, grape concentrate, simple syrup and ice. shake well and strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. top with soda water, stir and enjoy.

Concord Grape Concentrate

1 lb concord grapes, stems removed

2 tbs lemon juice

combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely.

Lemon Simple Syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1-inch zest of lemon

combine sugar, water and lemon in a small saucepan over high heat. bring to a boil and cook just until sugar is dissolved. remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. discard lemon zest and let syrup cool completely.

pretty in pink

here's a bright refreshing cocktail for you since the weather seems to be warm everywhere now. this drink is inspired by something similar we had before dinner here and is kind of a ramped up greyhound proper, one of our favorite go-to beverages. a splash of aperol gives it a unique flavor. it's an italian aperitif we've been seeing more of lately and is also a great addition to a glass of champagne. enjoy this cocktail on a sunny patio or rooftop deck with friends and check out a crab & corn appetizer recipe here on friday that would go perfectly. cheers!

Pretty in Pink

5 oz fresh grapefruit juice

2 oz gin

1.5 oz aperol

5 drops bitters

combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. pour over ice into a highball glass and serve.

gin & ginger

a few weeks ago before going to see this wonderful author & chef speak in santa barbara (which was great!), we spent a little time in the kitchen creating a new cocktail with our friend jen. she dubbed our refreshing discovery the giny gin gin and you'll see why once you take a look at the simple list of ingredients. i'd love to be snobby and tell you to make this cocktail with a fancy spicy ginger beer or ginger brew but we've tried it both ways and good old Vernors ginger ale is best. does anyone recognize where we collected these great orange stir sticks from? i'll give you a hint - sand on our feet, salt water on our skin and many many mai tais.

The Giny Gin Gin

1.5 oz top shelf gin, such as Hendricks

1 oz domaine de canton ginger liquer

4 oz ginger ale

juice of 1/2 lime

pour all ingredients over ice in a highball glass and mix well. garnish with additional lime wedge if desired.