Cocktail Friday: Maple Bourbon Ciders

While the ground isn't covered in snow it sure is chilly outside. These Maple –Bourbon Ciders are a sure bet to warm you up on the cold winter days.

We love anything with real maple syrup in it…especially a cocktail!

Maple-Bourbon Cider 

Makes 2

6 ounces Bourbon

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

4teaspoons pure maple syrup to taste

1 cup spiced apple cider

apple slices for garnish

ice

Directions:

1. Fill two old fashion glasses with ice. In a pitcher or cocktail shaker, add bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and apple cider; shake vigorously.

2. Strain into glasses and garnish each with a slice of apple.  Enjoy!

The Elegance of the Hedgehog: November Book Club

Abbie hosted November’s book club. Her book selection, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, can be difficult to get through. She may have known it was going to be a tough one before we even started because she offered a prize to anyone that finished. Of course the best part of book club a lot of time is not the book but the food and drink.

Abbie made delicious Pomegranate Martinis and while not everyone finished the book everyone finished off their martini. 

Dinner was a salad with homemade French dressing and a cassoulet. No dinner is complete without dessert! The dessert was tarte aux pommes (which is just an apple tart in French) served with French press coffee.

If you manage to make it through the book the ending of the novel really is beautiful and worth the struggle.

Abbie also provided Thankful journals at the beginning of November so everyone could write down a few things they were thankful for. It is always important to remember all the things we have to be thankful for.

The FCM Book Club: The Aviary

The October meeting of the FCM Book Club was hosted by Cindy.  She loves decorating for the month of October and plans way in advance.  Please see The Great Pumpkin Harvest.  Her chosen book was The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell.  She was in hopes that it would be as wonderful as the October pick of last year, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

The weather was so unseasonably warm we were able to gather outside.  Cindy’s yard is perfect for outdoor Fall parties. There was even a fresh carpeting of yellow leaves.

The evening started out with pumpkin martinis and appetizers that included festive deviled eggs and Cindy’s much loved spinach dip.

 

To keep dinner simple we dined on all beef hotdogs roasted over a crackling fire and a bean soup that was topped with freshly grated cheese and chopped onion. Pumpkin ale was served with dinner.

After dinner we discussed the book around our fire bowl.  Overall, we thought it was worth reading.

Desert was served inside when it started to get a little chilly. Champagne accompanied a Chocolate Espresso Soup topped with Marshmallows. Please see recipe here.

Skylar found the marshmallows at Whole Foods and we used a dash of Appleton Estates rum.

Up next is Abbie hosting The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

The FCM Book Club: Wedding Night

We love to read Sophie Kinsella's books so when it was Skylar's turn to host book club she chose the author's latest novel, Wedding Night. While not everyone loved the book the food Skylar served, keeping with the book's Greek setting, got great reviews!

We started out the evening in the back yard since it was unseasonably warm for fall.

Ice cold Ouzo accompanied a variety of appetizers including dolmas,humus, garlic stuffed olives, and a fresh cucumber and mint Tzatziki sauce with toasted pita. Dolmas are stuffed grape leaves.

The star of dinner was the Spanakopita which is a delicious layering of phyllo dough, spinach and feta. A Greek salad was served alongside that consisted of fresh greens, feta, and vinaigrette.

Spanakopita

Never to be out done Skylar made a dessert that left everyone speechless and not just because they could not pronounce the name! Galaktoboureko. A creamy custard baked in flaky phyllo dough and topped with a lemon and orange infused syrup. AMAZING!

Galaktoboureko

Flowers provided by Cindy from her garden!

We would also recommend other books by Sophie Kinsella including I've Got Your Number and Twenties Girl. These are easy reads when you just want to laugh and enjoy a book.




The youngest members of the group did not want to cooperate.

Cocktail Friday: A Fall Fig

Figs are in season and these are the perfect cocktail for fall! Figs can be found in specialty food stores throughout the fall. Their intense sweetness are perfect for a rich cocktail. These beauties made it, barely, over 20 miles of dirt road to cocktail Friday in Atlanta, Idaho.

Cocktail
2 oz Bourbon we went with Buffalo Trace
3/4 oz Brown sugar + fig simple syrup
1/4 Lemon juiced or more if desired
2 Dashes orange bitters

Spiced Fig Simple Syrup
4 Figs
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup water

Make the simple syrup a head of time, even a day or two. The longer the syrup sets the more flavorful it becomes. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan on medium heat. Stir and cook until all of the sugar has dissolved and the figs are mushy. Mash with a fork while it is cooking. Do not let the sugar boil or burn!

Once you have your simple syrup made and cooled, add all cocktail ingredients together in a shaker with a cup full of ice. Strain it into a glass over ice. Add more fresh lemon juice to taste.

Infused Simple Syrup

Try the Fall Fig! It is a perfect way to warm up this season!

Cocktail Friday: Absinthe "la Fee Verte"

Absinthe, once banned in many countries, has gained in popularity in recent years. It is an anise flavored spirit that was once favored by artists and writers in late 19th and early 20th century France due to its ability to heighten the senses. Absinthe was banned in the U.S. in 1912 because it was believed to lead to alcoholism and insanity! It is now available in the U.S. However, the Absinthe of today is not at all like what was consumed by the likes of Edgar Allen Poe, Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. This is because, even though they contain wormwood, today's Absinthes contain very small traces of thujone. Thrujone is the chemical compound thought to have produced the hallucinations and clarity of mind of pre-ban Absinthe. Enough with the history and science lesson!

How to serve it:

Traditionally, Absinthe is served by pouring iced cold water over a sugar cube that is placed on a slotted spoon. Use one part spirit to three parts water. The sugar cube cuts down on the bitterness and the water produces an effect known as louching, where the substance turns an opaque green.

Sugar Cube on Slotted Spoon

Slowly pour ice cold water.

The Absinthe Louche

You can find many cocktail recipes that include the use of Absinthe but we prefer to enjoy it the traditional way. Santé !

The Great Pumpkin Harvest



Early in the summer Cindy and Goldie decided to plant "a few pumpkins" so Ryan tilled a spot and they went to work. As the summer went along the vines grew and eventually took up most of the back yard. On a 70 degree, late September, day the Fall Pumpkin Harvest commenced!

There were all shapes, sizes and many colors to be found!

It took a lot of team work to find them all and as usual we were very helpful!

What is a Fall Harvest without a dark, rich pumpkin ale? Our choice Fall Hornin' by Anderson Valley.

Check back next year when we, meaning Cindy, Goldie and Ryan, take urban gardening to a whole new level by planting a variety of melons among the pumpkins. Under our supervision of course!

Start Fall Off With a Peartini

Pears are in season right now and while they are juicy and delicious all by themselves they also make a tasty cocktail. When making this cocktail you are going to want to start off with ripe pears otherwise your cocktail won’t have much flavor. Pears are a unique fruit that ripen best off the tree. Pears shipped and sold in grocery stores are often fully mature but not ripe. To tell if a pear is ripe, press on the neck of the fruit — if it gives slightly, it is ripe. To ripen pears, store at room temperature until slightly soft, then store in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Now that you have ripe pears you need only a few more ingredients for this delicious cocktail- lemons and pear vodka. 

We decided to use Absolut pear vodka in our recipe but if you would like to use regular vodka you can do that as well. It will definitely make the drink less sweet. 

Pear Martini (Makes 2)

1 large ripe pear (peeled, cored and sliced)

1/2 cup cold water

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 Tsp. Simple Syrup 

3 oz Absolut Pear Vodka or similar

Add all ingredients (besides vodka) into a food processor or blender and whirl until smooth. Pour into a cocktail shaker and add vodka and shake. Serve in a martini glass. If you don't like the pear pulp you can strain your drink before serving.

This only serves two. We recommend doubling recipe from the start because you will want more than one!

Poppy dressed for the occasion.

Cocktail Friday: Banana Daiquiris

While fall is just around the corner the temperatures will still feel like summer for the next few days. That means that you have to fit in this last summer inspired cocktail while the temperatures are in the 80's. If you love piña coladas then you will love this banana twist or if you are just trying to think of what to do with your constantly browning bananas!

You have to plan ahead on these a bit and freeze sliced ripe bananas ahead of time. We definitely recommend the frozen bananas because they make a smoother creamier drink. If you were in a pinch though you could use regular bananas and add some extra ice. 

Banana Daiquiris (serves 4)

2-3 sliced frozen bananas

3/4 cup light coconut milk 

4 Tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice

8 oz coconut rum

*If you are using fresh and not frozen bananas cut the down to one banana and use about 2/3 cup ice

Mix everything together in a blender until smooth and serve in chilled glass.

Top with shredded coconut. 

To make coconut rim: Coat rim of glass with orange juice and roll in the coconut shreds.

Enjoy these last few moments of summer and this delicious Banana daiquiri.