Archive for July, 2008

When we spend an evening doing a martini crawl, we always stop to visit our favorite bartender, Jared. As we love all of the concoctions he makes, we always are willing to sample something new. One of Jared’s classic drinks is the Apple Picker.

Like all of his beverages, Jared uses only the best ingredients and makes the drink as appealing visually as it is in flavor. Between excellent presentation, delicious tastes, and exceptional conversation, you are assured of a great time.

When trying the Apple Picker, we were curious as to what inspired this drink. Jared shared the following story with us, “When I was a young boy, it was a family (and neighborhood) ritual to go to ‘Pick your own Apples’ during the late summer at one of our town’s local farms.The ingredients for ‘The Apple Picker’ reflect my mom’s homemade apple crisp and apple pie made from those apples.”

To enjoy your own crisp, fresh-picked apple in grown-up fashion, try this recipe

Apple Picker Martini

2 oz. Sour Apple Pucker

2 oz. General John Stark Vodka

1 oz. caramel/honey simple syrup (see recipe below)

ice

Grade A maple syrup

cinnamon sugar

Rim inside of 6 ounce chilled martini glass with maple syrup. Tip glass over a dish filled with cinnamon sugar and rotate glass until coated with a generous amount.

Pour Sour Apple Pucker and vodka into a martini shaker filled with ice. Add simple syrup. Secure cover and shake diligently for 10 seconds. Pour into martini glass. The drink should be a soft caramel green and should be about 1/8 inch below the rim, so the liquid does not touch the cinnamon sugar.

Using a maple twig as a skewer, punch it through an apple wedge with skin side facing up. Place garnish into drink and serve.

Notes:

Maple syrup should be grade A, as it’s thicker and will not drip as easily into the glass. The chilled glass also will help prevent dripping.

Vox Green Apple is a suitable replacement if General John Stark Vodka is not available.

Caramel/Honey Simple Syrup

1 liter water

1 cup sugar

1 cup prepared caramel syrup

1/2 cup honey

Pour water into stock pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high, add sugar, and stir. Add caramel and stir. Then add honey and stir. Continue to stir for 1 minute, then allow to simmer for a few minutes.

The syrup’s consistency should be on the thin side, so you are able to dispense the syrup from a squirt bottle.

Makes about 1 quart of caramel/honey simple syrup.

As you’ve no doubt heard, the Belgium beer company InBev has made a rather large offer to buy Budweiser Brewing, so what is a beer drinker like me supposed to do? I’ll raise a pint of Hoegaarden to the idea.

As the self-labeled ‘King of Beers’ Budweiser has only impressed me by making comical Super Bowl advertisements and not much else. My hometown of Merrimack is also home to an Anheuser Busch plant and people have been telling me to ‘drink local’ for years. Personally I’ll sacrifice my taste buds if I have to drive a bit for a good beer.

This merger will not tarnish the flavor of any Budweiser product, it will be an improvement; it would just cause people to think that Bud isn’t as patriotic as once thought. If you really want to stick to your ‘American’ roots of beer, go buy a six of Samuel Adam’s Boston Lager. Not only will you get some real flavor, but you’ll get a history lesson about what a real American lager should taste like.

I’m not going to lose sleep over the fact that Budweiser could be sold overseas. InBev wants the Budweiser name to help boost their beer roster. Bud drinkers will always drink Bud, I know for a fact because I’ve tried to convert many of them. If anything, Budweiser could do with a lesson from Belgium- maybe you’re next Bud Light could taste like a Leffe Blonde instead.

If you have been reading recent beer reviews by J Frazzetta, you may notice that he mentions enjoying these beverages at a place in Manchester, NH.  Recently, he revealed the name of this spot to be Strange Brew Tavern.  For a full review of his hang-out, which sounds like far more than just a tavern, visit our sister site, Tasty Thoughts.