FOOD NEWS
Sparkling Apple Cider Makes A Quick Fall Cocktail Base
BY PEGGY AOKI
To avoid using a fussy, flavored simple syrup in your fall cocktail that could take hours to steep and strain, use sparkling apple cider as a quick stand-in.
The toasty flavors of whiskey, caramel notes of rum, and sharpness of vodka all blend well with the tart acidity of apple cider, so you've got plenty of options to play with.
You can even include your favorite flavored spirits, amplifying the apple with green apple whiskey, or introducing citrus notes with lime or citron-flavored vodkas.
To infuse deep citrus flavors, muddle lemon and orange wedges in a shaker, add the spirits, fill with ice, and shake. Then, strain it into a glass and pour your sparkling cider.
You can get similar effects in your cocktails by using flavored apple soda. Hard seltzer and apple kombucha also make good spirit companions for all the same reasons.