Apples, sauced

Apples are the perfect fall fruit to work into cocktails at home

Danika Sea photo

I’ve always loved apples — in pies and crumbles, roasted with pork — there is no end to the versatility of this beautiful local fruit. As a cocktail maker, apples play a major role in my creations. Our B.C. apples are bountiful, and we produce so many varietals to choose from. As the cool, crisp breezes of fall begin, apples automatically become a focus at my professional bar, but they are perfect to incorporate into drinks at home. Here are four recipes to get you started, but feel free to experiment with different varieties of apples, in different forms. Your house guests will be happy, I guarantee it.

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Tequila and Cider Collins

 

Justin Taylor’s Tequila and Cider Collins. Danika Sea photo

INGREDIENTS:
1 oz blanco tequila
0.5 oz Galliano vanilla liqueur
3 dashes Angostura bitters
4 oz dry hard cider
Apple slices for garnish

METHOD:
Fill a Collins glass with ice, then add all ingredients in order (except garnish) and stir. Top with more ice and a splash of cider, and garnish with fresh apple slices.

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Elderflower Tom Collins

Robyn Gray’s Elderflower Tom Collins. Dan Toulgoet photo

Recipe by Robyn Gray, head bartender at Prohibition in the Rosewood Hotel Georgia.

• 2 oz (60 mL) Old Tom gin
• 1 oz (30 mL) lemon juice
• ¾ oz (20 mL) elderflower liqueur
• Soda water

Shake gin, lemon juice and elderflower liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice, then top with soda water. Garnish with 3 lemon wheels. Serves 1.

—by Robyn Gray

Cool Yule

Warm up with these festive cocktails

Lou Lou Childs photo

Whether it’s a glass of eggnog, a hot buttered rum, or a mug of spicy mulled wine, the winter season is loaded with tasty cocktails. What makes them ideal for the home bartender is their reliance on easily sourced pantry ingredients: spices (cinnamon, clove and nutmeg), fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and sage), and fruits (mandarins, cranberries and pomegranates). Here are my family recipes for iconic winter cocktails—and a twist or two designed to take your holiday gathering to the next level.

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Cranberry Collins

Justin Taylor’s Cranberry Collins. Lou Lou Childs photo

A perfect welcome cocktail to any holiday party and one that can also be served alcohol-free.

INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. gin
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz. pure cranberry juice
1 oz. rosemary and sage syrup*
3 oz. soda water
rosemary sprigs

METHOD:
To a tall glass, add gin, juices and syrup. Add ice and top with soda. Garnish with rosemary.

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