Fox & Food: Hot Cocktails for the Season

Get on tips on serving up killer cocktails your guests will be talking about well into the New Year. Sarah Sutel Looper of Almanac and Mas (farmhouse) in New York City sits down with Fox News Radio’s Lilian Huang Woo to talk trends and reveal recipes for some of her signature drinks as well as some of the key elements which go in them (like her house-made orange bitters).

Take a LISTEN:

Balsamic Date Cocktail  (courtesy of Sarah Looper of Almanac):

Ingredients: 1.5oz Germain-Robin Craft Method Brandy.5oz Cherry-Balsamic liquid* 1 barspoon Luxardo Amaretto 1 dash house-made orange bitters *recipe for Cherry-Balsamic liquid 1 barspoon fresh cherry juice 1 barspoon Giueseppe Cremonini Cherry-Balsamic Drink 1 barspoon of strained liquid from 4oz fresh dates muddled then macerated in the Cherry-Balsamic for 5 days.

Method: Combine all ingredients in cocktail mixer. Add ice, stir about 20 seconds or until solution is diluted by 1oz. Pour over large rock in rocks glass. No garnish. How does it taste?  Sort of like light mulled wine!  It’s quite tasty, and not sweet.  The Amaretto adds body in the mid-palate, the orange bitters give it a lot of lift, and the dates provide dark base notes so the flavors aren’t monochromatic cherry. ————————————————————————————

Maple Cocktail recipe

Our inspiration was a classic Manhattan.  The kiss of sweet maple syrup is counterbalanced by the quiet salt note.  In this sophisticated turn on a classic, we find our guests asking for the recipe after the first sip!

2 oz Old Overholt Rye 1/2 oz salted maple syrup* 1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth 2 dashes house made orange bitters   In a stirring pitcher combine all ingredients. Add ice and stir 30 times (or until diluted by 1 oz) Strain into a chilled martini glass with a skewer of 3 brandied cherries placed across the rim, making sure to pour the liquid directly over the cherries.

*Salted Maple Syrup Recipe 16oz. Grade A maple syrup Sea Salt to taste (we do about 2 tsp) Add approximately 12oz very hot water and stir to dissolve Cool, then keep in fridge

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Sugar Pumpkin Cocktail

2.5 oz pumpkin infused Berkshire Bourbon .5 oz vanilla simple syrup 2 dashes house-made orange bitters Grated Vietnamese cinnamon

Method: Build all ingredients but cinnamon in rocks glass.  Fill glass with ice and stir for about 20 seconds or until diluted ~1oz.  Grate cinnamon over drink.  Garnish with orange twist.

Follow Lilian Woo on Twitter: @LilianNY

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