Thanksgiving will be here in a couple of weeks, so let's get into some fall cocktails! Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of whipping up a few fall cocktails on the Steve Harvey Show. Each of the cocktails included one key ingredient: maple. Now, if you're not a fan of maple, you can always substitute with honey.
Attention: If you're a rum drinker in the summer, keep it going! There is a major misconception that rum is only a liquor to be enjoyed during the summertime. That's not true! With my Maple and Sage cocktail, I've paired the Bacardi with Pedro Ximenez Hidalgo and maple syrup. Rum in the fall is a win, trust me!
MAPLE & SAGE
2 oz. Bacardi 8
3/4 oz. Pedro Ximenez Hidalgo
1 oz. Maple syrup
Shake, double strain into a snifter. Garnish with a sage leaf.
Maple & Sage cocktail
The next cocktail is completely different than probably any cocktail you've tasted before. For one, it has hints of pistachio in it by way of Dumante Pistachio liqueur. And for icing on the cake, I've added mascarpone cheese to it!
MAPLE NUT SOUR
1 1/2 Dark Rum
1/2 oz. Dumante Pistachio liqueur
1 egg white
1 bar spoon mascarpone cheese
1/2 oz. maple syrup
1/2 oz. lime juice
Shake all ingredients without ice. Add ice, shake again. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with 2 dashes grapefruit bitters.
Maple Nut Sour
The last cocktail that I made on the show was my Caramel Coffee. It's getting colder outside and we need warm cocktails to heat us up! Done. The Caramel Coffee cocktail has 79 Gold which has caramel and maple flavors. Don't forget to add a rosemary garnish - and slap it a little (MUST WATCH TV: Steve and the rosemary have a moment and it's epic!).
CARAMEL COFFEE
2 oz. 79 Gold
3/4 oz. Black Walnut Liqueur
2 oz. Brown Butter
Fill with coffee
Blend all ingredients together. Serve in a coffee mug.
Caramel Coffee Cocktail
Before I leave, there's one more cocktail that you must add to the mix this fall and it's the Masquerade. This isn't a maple cocktail, so I didn't make it on the Steve Harvey Show, but it's delicious and you should give it a try. The Masquerade is made with two types of rum and topped with whipped coconut.
THE MASQUERADE
2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce white rum
3/4 ounce Sauternes
1/4 ounce Cherry Heering
2 dashes orange bitters
1/4 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce pineapple gum syrup (a thick syrup made with a stabilizer called gum Arabic)
Whipped coconut, to taste (recipe follows)
Add all ingredients except whipped coconut to a cocktail shaker and shake. Serve in a highball glass and top with whipped coconut.
WHIPPED COCONUT
Whip together 2 cans sweetened coconut milk, 3 teaspoons sweet paprika and 1 teaspoon black pepper.