It seems that autumn has finally found Mississippi. A new crispness fills the air, hopefully banishing once and for all what was beginning to feel like endless summer. Funny how the movement of the mercury influences everything from retail habits to taste buds. When cooler weather beckons, hearty stews, chili and s’mores come to mind, as do those comforting drinks we picture ourselves drinking in front of a fireplace or campfire. Today, we share a few recipes for seasonal sippers from hot to coolly refreshing.
Love affair
For most of us, apple cider is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of fall drinks. We mull it (heat it and add spices) with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and orange slices, or enjoy it plain.
America’s relationship with cider dates back to its roots. It’s believed provisions for cider-making were carried over on the Mayflower itself, in 1620. Journals record that when a strong storm cracked a ship’s beam badly enough to warrant thought of turning back to England, “the great iron screw” taken from a cider press helped brace the beam long enough to make it to the New World, according to an account on Wikipedia. Other ships’ manifests show young saplings planted in barrels and bags of seeds being brought over. Nine days after the Puritans landed, a man named William Blackstone planted the first apple trees in the northeast colonies, says an 2012 article by Christopher Hughes at bostonmagazine.com.
By the 18th century, the Northeast was producing more than 300,000 gallons of cider a year. And as a new people in a new world moved westward, they took their love of cider with them.
A few hundred years later, the rest of us still look forward to the apple harvest and its resulting sweet scented drink.
Dress it up
At its simplest, you can start out with apple cider from the grocery and jazz it up at home with these suggestions from thekitchn.com.
Cool ideas
Alternatives to cider include a smooth Asian Pear Sparkler with undercurrents of warm autumn flavors, or CHOW’s family-friendly Autumn Chiller made with cider, orange juice and ginger beer.
Here’s an idea for transforming plain water into something more earthy and sophisticated — cinnamon water. There are two methods. One is to simply drop a cinnamon stick into a pitcher of water and chill overnight in the refrigerator. You’ll get a subtle flavor, but your pitcher of water will lack the blush color that comes from the second method. Simmer the cinnamon in a pot of water on the stove (at a ratio of one cinnamon stick to one cup of water). Cool the liquid and use as a concentrate to mix cold water and ice.
As we revel in the change of seasons and anticipate holidays ahead, hang on to these recipes. Whether entertaining the garden club, hosting a brunch, throwing an elegant party or just grabbing a sweater to cozy up with someone special on the porch, one of them will fit the occasion.
SPICED APPLE CIDER
1 gallon fresh apple cider
10 cinnamon sticks
5 anise pods
3 teaspoons whole cloves
1 cup extra-dark rum (optional)
Orange slices for garnish
(Source: thekitchn.com)
AUTUMN CHILLER
1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
2 ounces chilled ginger beer
3 ounces chilled sparkling apple cider
Ice
3 frozen cranberries
(Source: thekitchn.com)
CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE “HOT CHOCOLATE”
Makes 2 6-ounce servings
4 ounces white chocolate
6 ounces milk
2 ounces cream
Vanilla bean, optional
Cinnamon stick, optional
Salt, to taste
(Source: thekitchn.com)
ASIAN PEAR SPARKLER
Makes about 6 drinks
1 cup freshly pressed Asian pear juice*
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cups honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into coins
Small grating of fresh nutmeg
Ice
Soda water
*Note: Use the most flavorful Asian pear you can find; Hosui is a consistently sweet variety. Making 1 cup of juice requires about 1 (12-ounce) pear, peeled and cored. If using a juicer, follow manufacturer’s instructions to extract the juice and discard the pulp. If using blender or food processor, puree the pear until smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer, and discard the solids. If you wind up with a little less than 1 cup, top it off with water.
(Source: thekitchn.com)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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