Sweater weather, whiskey weather--whatever you want to call it, October is a sobering season. The gray sky, the leaves making their colorful exodus, the temperature dropping--it's all about ch-ch-changes, baby. If you're like me, you crave the comfort of pumpkin, maple, apple cider, cinnamon, dark rum, and of course, whiskey. And then there's the ritual of Halloween--an excuse to look ridiculous and get ridiculously plastered. Most Americans will probably be too hungover to mark Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Nov. 1 and 2, but if you're up for it, the Mexican holiday honors the dead and celebrates the living--with a splash of tequila, of course.
Looking for some killer party accessories and cocktail recipes to whip up for your epic bash? Well, looky here, just what Dr. Feelgood ordered:
Apple Maple Manhattan
2 oz. Finger Lakes Distillery Maplejack liqueur 1 oz. walnut liqueur 3/4 oz. Drambuie
Combine ingredients in shaker over ice, shake vigorously and pour into a chilled coupe glass.
Ashes to Ashes by H. Joseph Ehrmann, Elixir, San Francisco
1.5 oz Espolón Tequila Reposado .5 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry 1 oz lemon juice 1 tsp sweetened cocoa mix .25 oz agave nectar 1 pinch cinnamon
Place all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice, cover and shake well for 10 seconds. Strain up into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cinnamon dust.
Appalachian Flip by Al Sotack, Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., Philadelphia
2 parts ROOT liqueur 1/2 part rich demerara syrup 1 whole egg Pale ale
Dry shake (without ice). Then shake again with ice, and double strain. Pour into a pint glass and top with pale ale.
Great Pumpkin Fizz, Burritt Room, San Francisco
1 1/2 parts aged rum 1/2 part velvet falernum 1/2 part cream 1/2 egg white 1/4 part lemon juice Barspoon of maple pumpkin butter Dash of Fee Bros. Old Fashion Bitters
Fill shaker with ice, shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Mulled Apple Cider by Rev. Michael Alan, Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Philadelphia
1/2 gallon apple cider Zest and juice of an orange 1 piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 3 cinnamon sticks 6 anise pods 1 tbsp of whole cloves SNAP liqueur
Combine all the ingredients except for the Snap in a pot, cover and heat over medium-low for about 20-30 minutes. Pour a shot of Snap into a heat proof glass and top off with the warm mulled cider.
