Holiday Libations and potables for other occasions

[Jack of All Parades]

A conversation with a friend the other day got me to thinking it might be fun to share a favorite drink recipe, particularly with the impending Holiday Season fast being upon us. With that in mind, I offer the following:

Auld Lang

3/4 ounce Aperol
3/4 ounce St- Germain
3/4 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce rosemary-infused simple syrup
2 ounces dry sparkling wine
Rosemary sprig for garnish

Yield 1 drink

Shake the Aperol, St-Germain, lime juice and rosemary-infused simple syrup with ice and strain into a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a large sprig of rosemary.

To make the syrup, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Add 6 rosemary sprigs, turn heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Let cool, strain out the rosemary, then transfer to a clean jar or bottle. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Here is one more that incorporates my favorite fruit:

Apple Smash

2 large apple slices like Honeycrisp
2 ounces white rum
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 dash of Bitters
Cinnamon stick

Mash an apple slice in the base of a glass with a muddler. Add ingredients other than the cinnamon; shake and strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a whole apple slice dusted with freshly grated cinnamon.

The simple syrup can be created ahead of time as in the previous recipe.