An Apple a Day

Welcome back! This is a continuation of my previous post on homemade apple liqueur. In this post, we’ll build off of the techniques we described last time and add some story-based cocktail development. The previous post and recipe are available here:

In the catalogue of apple lore, there’s one record that would stand out more blatantly by omission than inclusion. That of course, is the banishment of Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden. I’ve recently been very taken by Heinrich von Kleist’s interpretation of the book of Genesis as presented by Phillip Pullman in Daemon Voices. They portray a view of the expulsion not as tragedy, but as opportunity. Innocence is not wise, and wisdom cannot be innocent. To attain true wisdom, one must depart paradise and forge one’s own way through the wilderness. The knowledge gained through wisdom offers a command of oneself that is complete and more truly mastered than the carefree ease granted by innocence. The apple then is less a sinful temptation, but rather an invitation to self discovery.

This leads to a natural pairing with the walnut, another garden of Eden staple, the spirit of which reminds us that during times of adversity we must rely on our inner ability to discern between the forces that will help us and those that will not. The narrative is furthered by the addition of sesame, which tells a story of its own. The oil, which is the essence of the sesame, although known even by the ignorant to be in the seed, cannot be extracted unless it is learnt how to do so.

A walnut liqueur called nocino and a toasted sesame syrup will round out our apple liqueur for this cocktail. For the syrup, toast half a cup of raw white sesame seeds in a hefty skillet over medium low heat until they are golden and fragrant. Sesame seeds burn easily, so be very watchful during this process and stir the seeds constantly. If nothing else, you can use the time spent at the stovetop to ruminate on exactly how many ways patience is a virtue. While the seeds are toasting, make a simple syrup on a neighboring burner with one cup of water and one cup of sugar. Use medium heat to avoid over-boiling, you only need to heat and stir until all of the sugar is dissolved. Once the seeds are toasted, add them directly to the hot syrup and stir to combine. They can be strained out once the syrup has completely cooled.

A Long Journey

1 oz Vodka

¾ oz Apple Liqueur

½ oz Nocino

½ oz Lemon Juice

¼ oz Toasted Sesame Syrup

Shake with a liberal amount of ice, strain and serve in a chilled coup glass

Of course, you don’t always have to do everything yourself. The world at large is chock full of ready made infusions at your disposal. A little bit of research into some available products will save you lots of time and effort. You can start with the story and give it a liquor that already echos the same themes. For example, take the Judgement of Paris. The golden apple inscribed, “For the fairest,” was claimed by three goddesses: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. The goddesses invited Paris, prince of Troy, to judge the winner. In return for his favor, the goddesses each promised lavish rewards. Hera would make him a mighty king, Athena would grant him wisdom and victory in war, and Aphrodite offered the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. These three gifts are aptly represented in the recipe for an aperitif called Cardamaro. Among other herbs and botanicals included in the infusion are three of interest:

Milk thistle, the flower of which is a symbol of one who has been crowned.

Gentian, a root that symbolizes justice and victory.

Marjoram, an herb created by Aphrodite as a symbol of happiness.

There we have it. Hera’s power, Athena’s wisdom, and Aphrodite’s love, all but wrapped in a bow, ready for the taking.

For the Fairest

1 oz Apple Liqueur

¾ oz Cardamaro

¾ oz Sweet Vermouth

Stir and serve on the rocks

If you have the time to make your own infusions, you give yourself more flexibility with your storytelling. After all, you could add anything you want. Just be sure to research and source your ingredients with safety in mind. One failsafe variation on our apple liqueur is to add a little spice. For the amount given in the recipe we’re working from, two cinnamon sticks and ten whole cloves will do it. Add the spices in with the apples and remove them when you filter the apples out. Those cloves, symbolizing dignity and the ability to withstand troubles, give us our last apple story today.

William Tell, folk hero and expert marksman, refused to bow to a hat raised atop a pole by an unjust lord. The lord ordered both Tell and his son to be executed, but devised a cruel caveat. If Tell could shoot an apple off of his son’s head with one shot, they would both be spared. Tell gloriously prevailed, but the more interesting part of the story is that he had initially pulled two arrows from his quiver in preparation. If he had missed and killed his son, he intended for the second arrow to kill the lord in retribution.

Two dashes of bitters in this drink signify those two arrows. Any type of bitters will do, the most common option being Angostura. If you want to infuse your own, I suggest adding edible marigold flowers to the mix. Once referred to as the poor man’s saffron in the Tudor era, they have a spicy bright citrus flavor that exemplifies William Tell’s bold defiance.

Though the following recipe looks simple, it actually gives us a foundational cocktail: the old fashioned. The common old fashioned is known as a whiskey cocktail, but in its bones it is comprised of four base ingredients, all of which are represented here. In order to make an old fashioned, you need a spirit, water, sugar, and bitters. In this case, the sugar in the liqueur and the water from melting ice completes the set. The individual ingredients in the old fashioned may change, but the formula remains constant. Now that you know the formula, your recipe development possibilities are endless.

The Tell Tale

1 oz Spiced Apple Liqueur

¼ oz Brandy or another brown liquor, like bourbon or rye

2 dashes Bitters

Stir on ice and strain. Take as a single shot (hey don’t fight the literature, am I right?)

Alright alright, you don’t have to shoot it. Double the recipe and serve on the rocks for a luxurious sipping cocktail.