Apple of My Eye

September is National Apple Month – cheers to that! What to do with the luscious bounty of red, green, and gold beauties that have overtaken your local market? We’ve got some recommendations starting with a cocktail.

First let me say how wonderful it is to have an enthusiastic mixologist in the family. Ilise enjoys experimenting with seasonal fruits, herbs, and the contents of our liquor cabinet to come up with one spirited delight after another. This is one of her finest, featuring a smoked rum (Stolen – yum!) discovered at a local liquor store’s rum-tasting event earlier this year. (Check out Ilise's other cocktails here.)

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Apple Orchard
Recipe by Ilise Goldberg

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Aged Rum
• 1 oz Stolen Smoked Rum
• 2 oz Apple Nectar (Recipe below, or you can use apple juice instead)
• ½ oz Lemon Juice
• 2-3 dashes bitters
• Cinnamon sticks (for garnish)
• Apple Slices (for garnish)

 
DIRECTIONS:

• In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients with ice (except garnish). Shake well.
• Strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice cubes. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and slice of apple.

 Apple Nectar:

• 2 pounds of Apples cut in quarters (can be assorted or all the same type)
• 1 Cup of Water
• ½ Cup of Sugar
• Combine the water and sugar in a pan over high heat until the sugar dissolves.  Add the apple chunks and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
• Once the fruit is nice and tender use a potato masher and mash the fruit to release as much juice as possible. 
• Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool completely.
• Strain the syrup into a container (will likely need to use cheese cloth as well as a strainer), and store it for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.  You'll yield @ 20 oz. of nectar. 
• If making far in advance the simple syrup freezes well. 

---

And now that we are appropriately lubricated with our apple-icious cocktail, I have a few more suggestions for apple dishes both savory and sugary. Here are a handful of delicious-sounding recipe links in all categories from some of my favorite food bloggers. Give ‘em a try!

Image: Desertrose7

Apple and Cheddar Scones – from Smitten Kitchen

Apple Cranberry Stuffed Pork Roast – from Simply Recipes

​Sauerkraut with Bacon and Apples – from Simply Recipes

Apple-Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Apple-Dijon Pan Sauce – from Iowa Girl Eats

Apple Pie Biscuits – from Joy the Baker

Harvest Tart – from David Lebovitz – Chock full of apples, figs, grapes and walnuts

Custardy Apple Squares – from Dorie Greenspan via The Washington Post

Hasselbeck Apples – from Cooking Light – Check out the video for helpful technique tips


What's your favorite apple recipe? Share in the Comments, please!

---