IT SEEMS like the cocktail season was just beginning a couple of weeks ago. Where did ‘summer’ go? We are now officially in to autumn, but thankfully, changes in season only mean good things for your cocktails. To keep it fresh and fruity, change up your September party menu with ripe, juicy berries that only have a few weeks left to live, and fruits that are just getting their cool-weather luster, like apples and pears.
Cooler weather means lots of whisky. You don’t have to be in the somewhere hot to fully appreciate this tart three-ingredient drink. You’ve probably seen the combination of Canadian whisky, apple schnapps and cranberry juice as a shot or in a tall, icy Collins glass. This version uses equal parts of each ingredient to create a tasty drink.
Try the Washington Apple Cocktail
– it’s a crisp apple and cranberry mix that is so easy to drink.
1 oz Canadian whisky (any one will do)
1 oz Apple schnapps
1 oz Cranberry juice
Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a tall glass. Garnish with an apple slice and enjoy...
The wizard that is Oz
One of the world’s leading wine experts, Oz Clarke, has released his latest guide, Oz Clarke Wine A-Z, published by Pavilion Books, £11.99, available from book shops. With handy info on more than 4,000 of the world’s top wine producers and their wines, detailed vintage charts and an easy-to-use A-Z format spanning wine regions the world over, it’s a must for wine enthusiasts and collectors. A great Christmas gift…
Wine of the Week
Reserve Des Tuguets Madiran 2012, Madiran AOC, France (£11.99, www.tesco.com)
A bronze medal winner at the International Wine Competition 2015, the winemaker has topped the fruitiness of the tannat grape with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc to create a brooding red with black cherries, mulberry fruit, and spice. Madiran reds are naturally high in tannins, which makes them the perfect marriage with roast duck or cassoulet, the classic cuisine of south-west France.
