A Winter’s Tale
For the holidays I like to have a special cocktail ready for my guests. I make a pitcher of it and leave garnishes out to make the cocktail fancy enough to serve on the holidays. It just makes your party a little more personal and I always appreciate those details. I am a big bourbon fan as you may have noticed. I think it can be enjoyed all year long, but it is particularly good in the cooler months.
Tips:
Don’t like bourbon? It’s delicious with tequila and vodka too.
Cranberry Bourbon
Makes 1 cocktail
PREP 10 minutes
COOK 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces bourbon
1 ounce lemon juice
1/4 cup 100% cranberry juice
1-2 dashes orange bitters
1 blood orange or regular orange slices
Cranberry Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups fresh cranberries
zest 1 large orange
Sugared Rosemary Sprigs
Sprigs of rosemary, one per cocktail
Granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
To make Sugared Rosemary Sprigs: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently run rosemary sprigs under a little water to dampen and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the rosemary with granulated sugar on all sides, making sure the rosemary is thoroughly coated in sugar. Allow to dry on the baking sheet for 1 hour. The rosemary can be made 1 day in advance and stored at room temperature.
To make Cranberry Syrup: Bring water, maple syrup and cranberries to a boil in a medium pot over a high heat. Boil for about 5 minutes or until the cranberries start to burst. Add the orange zest and set aside to cool. You can strain the cranberries if you like or keep them for a more rustic look. Syrup can be made a week ahead of time.
To assemble cocktail: Combine 2-3 tablespoons of cranberry syrup, depending on how sweet you want it, bourbon, lemon juice, cranberry juice and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. In a lowball glass add ice and strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a sprig of sugared rosemary.