Autumn Sangria
Serve in a big pitcher!
2 bottles (750 mL) red wine
A Spanish variety such as Rioja is a great pick, but not essential.
1 cup sugar
2 apples, chopped
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup brandy
Ginger ale
Combine the red wine, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and brandy in a medium saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and transfer to the fridge to let cool.
Before serving, add chopped apples to the mixture (Honeycrisps are my favorite!). Top with ginger ale, if necessary (you might like it without carbonation, so taste it first).
Cider Smash
Makes 1 cocktail
2 ounces bourbon
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup chilled sparkling apple cider
Thin red-apple slice
Combine the bourbon and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Fill a glass with apple cider, and strain the bourbon mixture into the glass. Garnish with an apple slice.
Hot Apple Cider (Spiked or not)
½ gallon fresh apple cider
1 orange
4 sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
Pour the apple cider into a 3-quart saucepan with the heat on medium high. While it heats, peel the orange, reserving a couple of strips of the peel. Quarter the orange, and add it to the cider with the cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and cloves. Cover the cider and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes. Be careful not to let it boil, as it can cause the spices to turn bitter. Strain the cider, discarding the orange and spices. For an adult kick, add bourbon, brandy, or spiced rum. Serve immediately or keep warm in a slow-cooker for a party.
Cranberry Martini
Serves 4
1 cup vodka
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup cranberry juice
8 frozen cranberries
Lemon twists, for garnish
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour in the vodka, vermouth, and cranberry juice, cover, and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled martini glasses and garnish with two frozen cranberries and a lemon twist.
