Tag: autumn cocktails

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Pumpkin Spice…plus a little liquor … makes a drink so nice!

So I've recently been informed by my diverse circle of friends that the Pumpkin Spice obsession is a "white-girl" thing… LOL! Well, I'm a white girl … so here goes!

In most cases, I prefer to stand alone in my uniqueness. Either consciously or unconsciously, I routinely defend the under-dog and resist falling in line with the masses. I am the person who avoids trends and resists supporting the most popular craze of anything. Be it popular movies, name brands, chain-restaurants, the latest heart-throb, fashion trends, ridiculous new gadgets or hip terminology, I will at times avoid things just because everyone else is obsessed with it. I avoid buying expensive drinks, standing in stupid-long lines and filling my closets with items that will be out of style in a month.

But….when it comes to  Pumpkin Spice …. I'm just one in the masses. As a child, my father always loved the spices associated with Autumn. He'd buy spiced potpourri for the house and make homemade cider with mulling spices, the old-fashioned way on the stove. Ginger-snaps, pumpkin bread and pie were staples in our house at Halloween and Thanksgiving, long before Trader Joes (whose seasonal varieties I now stalk) and flavored Oreos (gross) came onto the scene. So maybe that's why I'm more prone to join this craze … and maybe, like my friends suggest, it's just a white girl thing.

Nonetheless, I love the signature-seasonal-spice combo (which by the way tastes nothing like actual pumpkin). So it would only make sense that I would compulsively buy the autumnal libation varieties when they showed up in my local liquor stores. For years, I've enjoyed the seasonal, spicy ciders and beers that are only available this time of year; and I love me some homemade autumn sangria or warm wine prepared with mulling spices. But this year, I expanded my horizons when I discovered seasonal liquors as well. Specifically, Captain Morgan's Jack-O-Blast and Bailey's Pumpkin Spice limited edition. I mean, if I like pumpkin-spice everything else, why wouldn't I like these too!?

Armed with these two new bottles of festivities, I went on an internet search and played nightly mixology. Both of these liquors are, as they are intended to be, full of flavor and lean towards the sweet side of the spectrum. Therefore, they can be easily enjoyed alone-sipped on the rocks or as a shot. But I've also found that they can be quite lovely when paired with another ingredient or two; but no more than two. Because of their flavor, price and limited availability, I think they would be wasted in a complex cocktail. But I challenge you to prove me wrong!

So here are some nice and simple drink recipes for Captain Morgan's Jack-O-Blast and Bailey's Pumpkin Spice! Tried and true, if you like the seasonal spices of autumn or are hosting a harvest or Halloween party with adult beverages, give them a try!  I found them quite delicious!

Captain Morgan's Jack-O-Blast 

 

img_4059I've liked Captain Morgan's spiced rum since I was a young hoodlum, so this was an easy buy for me. I found this seasonal variety to be sweeter and to contain enough flavor and complexity to set it apart from the other varieties but not so much that it became overpowering. Too much of anything, even pumpkin spice, can be nauseating and off-putting. This was neither of those things and is now a welcome addition to my bar. I think it will make some nice winter libations as well as autumn ones.

 

 

  1. Pair with RumChata and drink at room temperature or on the rocks for a lovely, creamy taste of cinnamon and spice that is perfect for crisp evenings by the fire or paired with a warm bread pudding or a bitter chocolate dessert.
  2. Spike your hot apple cider (or cold) for an easy version of a hot toddy. You can use the good cider that you buy at the orchard, but I almost felt like the liquor got lost in the weight of the fresh cider. I actually prefered mine as a complex addition to the cheap instant apple cider packets that you can find near the hot chocolate in the grocery store and yielded a sweet and clear cider drink which was neither too strong nor too heavy.  It was the perfect accompanied for late night writing and paper grading ;
  3. Mixed with a sharp ginger beer and lime juice, this liquor moves off of the seasonal drink menu and yields a nice, snappy mule that can be enjoyed year-round. I used Fever Tree's ginger beer and fresh lime and paired it with a homemade asian dinner. It was cold and spicy and paired excellently with the asian cuisine, but like any mule, sipped alone works just fine too!

 

Bailey's Pumpkin Spice

 

img_4061Unlike  Captain Morgan's, I am not typically a big Bailey's fan. This was purely an impulse buy for me. Typically, thick and sweet isn't my first go-to when it comes to adult beverages. Nonetheless, it's a good addition for special occasions and entertaining. I've also discovered a few less-obvious uses for it and I'm looking forward to combining it with food as well-such as over ice cream or mixed into a cheesecake. And for those who do like Bailey's, this one is sure to be a hit!

 

 

  1. Combine with coffee and milk, add a dollop of whipped cream and a swirl of caramel and you have a decadent Bailey's Pumpkin Latte. You're sure to impress any guest with this one!
  2. For the bourbon drinkers out there – Combine with your favorite bourbon for a dessert in a whiskey glass. Drink at room temperature or on the rocks and this combo is sure to warm you up on cold nights.
  3. In a blender, mix with vanilla ice cream, vanilla vodka and a 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice. This recipe is based on a suggestion by Martha Stewart and makes a milkshake that is both easy to drink and easy to get accidentally drunk off of. It has enough spice that you notice it without giving you pumpkin-spice overload.

 

For all my Pumpkin Spice Lovers out there – Drink responsibly and enjoy! Life is too short not to buy the pumpkin-spice cookies…and drink the pumpkin-spice rum 😉

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The Pear …. Martini

pear picAnother autumnal fruit, the Pear too carries a sweetness into the cooler months and while mildly similar, is distinctly unlike the apple. The apple, firm and round and colorful has a consistent texture and can tolerate most any condition. It is the most reliable and versatile of the fruits. Pears are different. Pears, while firm at the start, if given the right environment, become soft as they ripen, and their skin, once tough becomes delicate and easily hurt. I suppose I am a lot like the pear in that respect … hardened in my youth and exterior … given my current life partner and circumstances, I’ve softened as I’ve aged and my core holds a tenderness that was once unrecognizable. I am more vulnerable now than I once was. Their flesh, whilst soft and sweet, contains a grit that is notable on the palate. No amount of altering the pear can remove that grit. With a signature shape, it hang from the tree with a narrow head that then yields to a rotund bottom. They are not uniform. They lack versatility and are best received as they are, as a whole fruit.

A common household fruit today, pears have withstood the test of time as one of the most ancient foods with records showing them being harvested as early as 1000 BC. The pear teaches us that in order to survive the test of time, we must be resilient. Resiliency at times is equated with one being hardened. While not intentional, it is a by-product of challenging conditions. When we are hardened, we are less vulnerable to our predators. But with time and the right conditions … we can allow our core to soften; and as we soften, we also sweeten. The world receives us best in this state. But let us not forget the resiliency that got us here. With one bite, the world appreciates the journey that we’ve taken … allowing our core to ripen and our skin to soften … and yet…. because of that sweetness, they don’t reject the pear for its grit. A little grit never hurt anyone.

May all who started out hardened find the conditions in life to soften and let their bitterness sweeten. The vulnerability of a soft and sweetened spirit is a sign of the euphoria that we all aspire to attain. Whilst they soften and sweeten … let their grit remain. True grit is the key to success and survival in all places, in all of time. Pair that sweetness now with a little spice … and by damn it, you’ve got one fine cocktail.

 

On a journey to give the pear its due diligence, to cradle its sweetness and at the same time give a respectful nod to the spice that is signature of this season, I searched the web for the perfect autumn pear cocktail and came up empty-handed. Every recipe that I tried was too sweet, too strong, not complex enough or too heavy. Some sounded promising but the ingredients were too obscure. So I spent a solid 2 weeks playing mixology. I searched the liquor stores high and low and I experimented with various flavors. I even made a spiced simple syrup to help elicit the flavors we so often equate with the season.

In the end, I created a cocktail that contains ingredients that are easy to find in a liquor store with a decent inventory. It yields tones of both sweetness and spice and is not so strong that it belongs on your grandfathers bar list and yet is strong enough that it earns its place on the adult cocktail menu.

I present to you the winner of my mixology experiment :

The Autumn Pear Martini

  • 1 oz pear vodka
  • 1/2 oz pear liqueur
  • 1/4 oz spiced simple syrup (recipe below)
  • 1/8 oz Crown Apple
  • a few drops of lemon juice

Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass

(For this recipe I used a measuring shot glass. This recipe makes one small martini but you could certainly multiply these amounts for a larger batch or convert the ounces to “parts”.)

pear martini

Spiced simple syrup:

  • half cup of cane sugar
  • half cup water
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 5 whole all spice

Heat sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Add the spices. Continue to heat on low until syrup reduces and thickens just a tad (not too long though or you’ll turn it into caramel) and the flavor of the spices infuses the syrup. Once cooled, pour into a glass container with the spices still intact and keep in the fridge for future fall drink recipes 🙂

 

spiced simple syrup

 

And the two runner-ups were:

Spiced Pear Nectar

  • 1 oz vodka
  • 1 oz pear nectar
  • 1/4 oz pear liqueur
  • 1/8 oz Crown Apple
  • 1/4 oz spiced simple syrup
  • a few drops of lemon juice

This cocktail certainly tastes like fall! But the thickness and sweetness that the nectar, simple syrup and liqueur brought to the cocktail knocked it down in the rankings for me. But if you’re into sweet drinks and like a whiskey glass over a martini glasses, this one may just do it for you! Plus, nectar (found in the hispanic aisle for about $1/can is cheaper than vodka ;))

Orange-Pear Martini

  • 1 oz pear liqueur
  • 1 oz triple sec
  • 1/2 oz pear nectar
  • 1/4 oz spiced simple syrup

Again, too sweet for my tastes in a martini but the orange and pear complement one another nicely. And with less nectar, this one is less thick than the Spiced Pear Nectar and slightly more complex in flavor despite using less ingredients.

Happy Autumn Everyone!