I've been recipe testing a number of fall cocktails over the last month. All of them were good, but not post worthy, until now! This Fall Spiced Apple Cider Martini is fabulous, I just know you will love it. Seasonal, warm, earthy flavours are mixed into a sweater weather sipper. This might just be my Thanksgiving 2020 cocktail!
To add more flavour to the cocktail, I used a local Copper Gin (here) from Merridale Cidery & Distillery. Their gin is made from all local Vancouver Island bark, aromatics and herbs, and is aged in Cowichan Valley French Oak red wine barrels. The result is a gin with a unique BC flavour and distinct copper colour. Copper Gin is very smooth and is easily sipped on it's own, or in a cocktail like this one.
To compliment the unique BC Copper Gin flavours, I paired Chinese Five-Spice Syrup (see Recipe Note below) as an ingredient. The syrup is made from Chinese Five-Spice blend, which is a combination of five different spices, that include all five tastes - sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. The five spices that combine to make Chinese Five-Spice blend are star anise, clove, cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorn and fennel seed. The blend is easy to make yourself, or you can purchase it already mixed. This spice blend is amazing on proteins such as chicken and pork, in marinades and to add just a hint of balance to otherwise sweet cocktails, like this Fall Apple Cider Martini.
I recommend that you include the thyme garnish in this recipe, as it is an important component to the drink. It adds one last hit of fresh, and an herbaceous note that balances the cocktail out.
Let me know what you think of these flavour combos in the comments below or if you make the cocktail send me a picture at #mykuratedlife .
Enjoy,
Krista xo
Spiced Apple Cider Martini
makes 1 drink
Ingredients
2 oz copper gin (regular gin can be substituted)
2 oz fresh pressed apple cider (I like unfiltered Honey Crisp Cider)
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz Chinese Five-Spice syrup*
2-3 dashes Black Walnut Bitters
1 apple wheel, thinly sliced for garnish
1 sprig fresh thyme
Method
In a cocktail shaker add copper gin, apple cider, lemon juice, Chinese Five-Spice syrup and Black Walnut Bitters. Fill shaker with ice and shake until the shaker is chilled with condensation on the outside, about 30 seconds.
Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with apple slice and thyme.
Recipe Notes:
*Chinese Five-Spice Syrup (recipe adapted from here)
Ingredients
3/4 cup demerara sugar
1/2 cup water
1.5 tablespoons Chinese Five-Spice mix
1/4 oz rum (optional, will help the syrup to last longer)
Method
In a small sauce pan over medium heat add sugar, water and Chinese Five-Spice mix. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, lower temperature and simmer for 5 minutes to bloom the spices and thicken. Remove pan from heat and allow syrup to cool. Add rum if using, stir to combine. Using a fine mesh sieve & a coffee filter (this will be slow as the syrup is thick, however it will do a better job of catching the spices), strain syrup into a glass container. Keep refrigerated for up to one month.
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