Carrie Kenny, owner of the Prizer Gallery, took this photo at the Farmshare Farm this spring. How ’bout them apples.

Fall started in Austin last weekend which meant that it was time for me to come out of my summer hibernation. I got back on my newly refurbished bike (thanks Peddler!) and rode it down to EastCiders for their first brewery tour. The brewery has been selling ciders in cans for almost  a year but this was one of the first times it was open to the public, and we enjoyed learning about their processes, trying all the ciders (except for the brisket), and  relaxing in the beautiful pavilion next to the old railway station by the brewery.

The trip and sudden autumnal onset inspired this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider – get the nice organic stuff that comes in a glass bottle
• 1 packet granulated dry white wine yeast
• Airlock with bottle stopper

Preparation

1. Sanitize the airlock in a diluted bleach solution and set aside.*
2. Open the cider and add a teaspoon of the yeast granules.
3. Inset the airlock on the bottle and store in a cool dark closet.
4. Allow to ferment for a few days then serve!

*Sanitizing solution is 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 gallon of water. Scale as needed.

This tasty and simple beverage is actually something I learned back in high school. My good friend Patrick often invited me to his large Filipino family’s parties. These parties were some of my first experiences with real, homemade international foods. This cantaloupe drink was a treat at almost every gathering I remember.

Cantaloupe Aqua Fresca

I never found out a special Tagalog name for this drink, so I’m calling it an aqua fresca for its similarity to the light Mexican beverages. Either way, this melon juice a delicious and refreshing treat on hot summer days!

Ingredients

• 1 large cantaloupe
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4-5 cups water

Preparation

1. Cut the cantaloupe in half, and scoop out seeds into a mesh strainer.  Put the strainer over a large bowl so you can catch the juice that comes out.
2. Peel the cantaloupe, then grate it using a cheese grater. Make sure to save any juice that is expressed during the grating.
3. Dissolve the sugar in 2 cups of the water.
4. Add about half of the grated cantaloupe to a large pitcher.
5. Add the remaining cantaloupe to the strainer with the seeds, pour the sugar water over this, then use a large wooden spoon to press the flesh against the strainer, squeezing out as much juice as possible. Add all of this juice along along with the remaining water to the pitcher.
6. Refrigerate until cold or serve with lots of ice!

This past Sunday at the Mueller Farmers’ Market there was a vendor selling the Peruvian purple corn drink Chicha Morada. At the same time Dai Due was selling a beet soda. This is how inspiration is born.  Our Beet-cha Morada is a light, refreshing drink with a beautiful purple-red hue.

Beet-cha Morada

Ingredients

• 1 pound red beets, scrubbed and halved
• 8 cups of water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• zest from 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Preparation

1. Place beets in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling until water reduces by 1/3rd. 
2. Remove from heat and carefully mash ingredients with a potato masher to break apart the beets.
3. Return to medium heat and add cinnamon and cloves. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and strain ingredients into another bowl or large pot. Add lemon zest, sugar, and orange juice. Allow to cool and serve over ice.

Manhattans are an extremely easy and delicious drink, and happen to be my favorite class of cocktail. The typical Manhattan is some ratio of whiskey – bourbon or rye – with a similar measure of vermouth. I say similar because, while I prefer a 1:1 ratio of whiskey to vermouth, if you like a sweeter drink feel free to favor the vermouth. Or, as many do, if you want a stronger kick go for a stronger pour of spirits or a higher proofed whiskey. As a spiritus drink, meaning one that is not adulterated with additional juices or waters, any adjustments in the ingredients quality or proportion will produce discernible results. The best Manhattan is the one you like, so start with a basic recipe, make the tweaks you need, and find your Manhattan. The “Old Standard” Manhattan, as reported by David Wondrich in Imbibe!, is one part whiskey, one part vermouth, two dashes of gum syrup, and a couple dashes of Peruvian Bitters. Thanks David, you had me up until the gum syrup. We hope to write more later on the somewhat obscure ingredients, but I am here to tell you that you can make a fantastic classic Manhattan without them.

Classic Manhattan

Classic Manhattan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces good whiskey – bourbon or rye
• 1 1/2 ounces sweet (rouge) vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1 Maraschino cherry (a real one – not those hot pink blobs) or a twist of orange

Preparation

1. Fill a shaker with ice and stir ingredients until the cocktail is well-chilled, about 40 seconds. 
2. Strain in to a pretty glass, garnish as you like, and serve.

So, once you get the Classic Manhattan the way you like it is fun to play with the vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine, most commonly Italian (Martini & Rossi) or French (Noilly Prat), red or dry. The base wine may be made from a variety of wines or blends that are then sweetened and flavored with botanicals and spices. Vermouths typically come in under 20% alcohol by volume and they are all different. Playing around with a variety of vermouths is a fun way tinker with the Manhattan, but it can also be fun to try other fortified wines. There are a lot of new and exciting fortified wines coming on the market now and many are very affordable. It is my recommendation to go to your favorite local liquor store, check out their liquor selection, see if there is any new under 20% ABV fortified wine that sounds fun, then take it home then play with a whole new type of Manhattan. The following recipe uses Cocchi Americano, a fortified wine flavored with cinchona, the same bittering agent in tonic water (that is, the same medicinal bark delivered through tonic water).

Cocchi Manhattan

Cocchi Americano Manhattan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces good rye
• 1 1/2 ounces Cocchi Americano
• Peychaud’s Bitters
• Grapefruit twist

Preparation

1. Fill a shaker with ice and mix ingredients well until the cocktail is chilled, about 40 seconds.
2. Strain into a pretty glass, garnish with the twist, and serve.

This old school San Francisco-style Pisco Punch is sure to be a hit at your next fancy (or not so fancy) party!  To properly prepare it, you will need to give yourself at least 3 days advance notice so the ingredients can adequately meld and mingle.  This punch can be served either in a punch bowl or by the glass.  For this recipe and lots of other great classics, check out Imbibe! by David Wondrich.

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups turbinado sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 750-ml bottle of Pisco
• 7 lemons

Preparation

1. Place the pineapple chunks in a large bowl.  In a separate pot, bring the water to  boil, turn off heat, add sugar, and stir until completely dissolved.  Pour this simple syrup mixture over the pineapple chunks.  Let cool, cover, and then refrigerate for about 24 hours.
2. The following day, use a fine mesh strainer to separate the syrup (which now will have a delicious pineapple flavor) from the sweetened pineapple chunks.  Store the pineapple chunks in an airtight container in the refrigerator
3. In another jar or large bottle, combine the entire bottle of pisco with 1 cup of the pineapple syrup.  Store this mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 days before using (it should last for weeks – the longer the better). Store the remaining syrup in a jar in the refrigerator (it is great for tiki drinks!).
4. On the day you are serving the punch, you can either serve in a large punch bowl or by the glass:
   • In a Punch Bowl: Combine the pisco-syrup mixture with 16-ounces cold, filtered water, and the juice of all 7 lemons.  If desired, sweeten with more of the leftover pineapple syrup.  Add a large block of ice (see note below), and serve in small punch glasses, garnished with a few of the sweetened pineapple chunks.
   • By the Glass: Combine 2 ounces pisco-syrup mixture, 3/4 ounce filtered water, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice in a shaker with several cubes of ice.  Shake vigorously, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a couple chunks of sweetened pineapple.

Note – Making a Block of Ice:  We’ve found the easiest way to make a punch bowl-sized block of ice is to use an empty milk or juice carton.  Just cut the top off, clean the inside with warm water, fill with filtered water, and freeze.  It will probably take at least 12 hours to freeze solid, so take this into consideration when planning your punch party.

If you enjoy strong, spicy, full-flavored ginger ale or beer, then this recipe is for you!  Making your own ginger beer is actually pretty easy and doesn’t really require any special equipment other than an old 2-liter bottle or growler.  If you don’t know where to get dry ale yeast, try searching for a local homebrew store (such as Austin Homebrew Supply).

Homemade Ginger Beer

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb fresh ginger root (use less for a less pungent end product)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup turbinado sugar (white can also be used)
• 1 lemon
• 1/8 teaspoon dry ale yeast (such as Danstar Nottingham) *

Preparation

1. Give the ginger root a good wash and cut off any funky-looking skin (you can leave it mostly unpeeled).  Then cut the ginger root into rounds, about 1/8-inch thick.  Place the pieces into a large heat-resistant glass (such as Pyrex) bowl, and crush slightly using the back of a wooden spoon or a cocktail muddler.  This helps express some of the juice and aids in flavor extraction.
2. Heat the water to boiling, then pour it over the ginger in the bowl.  Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve.
3. Use a citrus zester or Microplane to zest the entire lemon, being careful to avoid the white pith.  Juice the now-naked lemon and add 2 tablespoons of the juice to the mixture, stirring to incorporate.
4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (this usually takes around 1 hour), then sprinkle the yeast over the surface.
5. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or paper towel and let sit out for 24 hours.  After a few hours you should see some yeasty activity (slight bubbling) in your bowl.
6. After 24 hours are up, carefully strain the ginger beer into a clean 2-liter bottle or 1/2-gallon growler.  Screw on the lid tightly and let sit out for 12 – 24 hours longer.  During this time, the yeast will continue to reproduce, carbonating the ginger beer.
   CAUTION: DO NOT LET SIT OUT FOR LONGER THAN 24 HOURS.
7. After this period of 24 hours, move the sealed bottle to your refrigerator, let chill, then enjoy straight or in a cocktail of your choice (I suggest a Dark and Stormy).  When you open the bottle for the first time, do it over a sink because there is a good chance it might bubble over.
   The ginger beer will keep in refrigerator for a long time, but you might want to open the lid every day or two to let off excess carbonation.

* For bonus points, make your own “ginger bug” and use some of it instead of dry yeast!

Ginger beer base

Spaghetti Westerns are a genre of Western movies that were made in Italy. They resemble the typical American-made Westerns, and the better ones feature unusual music and heroes with unnaturally good fighting skills and an unlikely partner.

Like Quentin Tarantino, we are  fans of quirky multi-national fusions. However, we are not in the movie business and so our Django Unchained-equivalent works are more likely to appear on small plates or glasses, rather than big screens.

Jake from Haus Alpenz pouring samples

We recently found a healthy dose of inspiration at Hopfields. If you have not made it there yet, Hopfields is a fantastic restaurant with a great beer selection and a gifted bartender – Carter – who makes some o f the best “17 [% ABV] and under” drinks in Austin.

On January 16th, Hopfields hosted a small tasting with Jake Parrott from Haus Alpenz. Haus Alpenz is an importer of unique international spirits and liqueurs, and has taken an important part in revitalizing America’s cocktail movement.  We sampled a variety of their offerings, including Cocchi Americano Rosso (the first bottle in Texas!), Cocchi Barolo Chinato, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Bhyrrh, and a few others.

Spaghetti Western Cocktail (Photo by Gabriel Hasser)

One of our favorites was Cardamaro Amaro, a wine-based bitter flavored with cardoon (not cardamom as the name might lead you to believe).  Jake suggested the this cocktail to us (and even gave us the name), so after the tasting we hurried to the liquor store to gather our ingredients.  After a few variations, we decided the following preparation was our favorite Spaghetti Western Cocktail, which mixes spicy American rye whiskey with the sweetly bitter Italian Cardamaro.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Rye
• 1 ounce Cardamaro
• 1 dash orange bitters

Preparation

1. Stir the rye and Cardamaro together in a mixing glass with several ice cubes until chilled, about 30 seconds. 
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a healthy orange twist.

Corsicana Dawn from Hopfields (Photo by Gabriel Hasser)

Coseppi Michelada

As long as you have a healthy amount of lime juice and a beer, there is not a wrong way to make a michelada. We tried our fair share in around Mexico, and almost each one was different from the last, varying in spices, garnishes, and type of beer.  This is a very good version that James developed at home using nice dried Mexican chili peppers.

Ingredients

•  3 dried chiles guajillos
• 20 dried chiles de arbol
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• 4 key limes
• 1 tablespoon Mexican hot sauce (such as Valentina)
• a few ice cubes
• splash of tomato juice (optional)
• 1 cold bottle of Mexican lager or a beer of your choice (we used the Alt from Hops and Grains)

Preparation

1. To make the rim spice, remove the tops of the dried peppers and shake the seeds loose. Toast the chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about two minutes. Process the peppers in a food processor until finely ground. Add salt and sesames seeds. This makes enough spice for a number of micheladas.
2. Pour the rim spice in a saucer or small plate. Run a slice of lime around the rim of a pint glass and rub the moistened rim in the spices like you would with a margarita glass.
3. Add the remaining lime juice to the rimmed pint glass. Mix in the hot sauce, a splash of tomato juice (if using), and add a few ice cubes.
4. Top the glass with your cold beer and enjoy!  Store the remaining rim spice in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Michelada Rim Spice

This is our vegan take on Imbibe’s Malted Hot Cocoa Mix. The mix has a higher cocoa to sugar ratio so it is more flavorful than almost anything you can get in the store. Since the cocoa is so prominent it is important to use a nice powder like Valrhona.

Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups powdered soy milk
• 2 tablespoons corn starch, tapioca flour, or potato starch
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• pinch of fine sea salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg

Preparation

1. Gently combine ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk.
2. Sift the ingredients into a large bowl to thoroughly combine.  You can store this powder in airtight containers and give it as gifts to your friends and loved ones.
3. To prepare the hot cocoa, combine 1/4 cup hot chocolate mix with 8 ounces of hot water.
4. Top with your favorite gelatin-free marshmallows or, if you are Colombian, a slice of fresh cheese, or, if you are in the Christmas spirit, add a splash of whiskey or rum.

Fresh fruit juices are an inexpensive and popular breakfast staple around Peru. Most such juices are made in ordinary blenders which makes the process and clean-up extremely easy while creating a delicious, frothy beverage.

Fresh Pineapple Juice

Ingredients

• 1 whole fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• sugar to taste (optional)
• ground cinnamon or nutmeg

Preparation

1. Combine the fruit and water in a blender and process until smooth.
2. Add sugar to taste, if desired.  Blend to mix in the sugar.
3. Serve over ice, and top with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg or cinnamon.