Manhattan In Autumn by Chris Milligan

It's a secret but I love Autumn and it's another secret that I love Manhattan (the cocktail). I remember with nostalgia about the autumn days when you can walk hand-in-hand with your love in the park, watching the the fall of the leaf, talking or just be silent and enjoy the moment. I really miss fall. The Manhattan cocktail is one of the classics with a lot of variations and widely propagated in the pop culture, but still is one of the sophisticated, palatable and yet simple to make drinks which doesn't fall back of todays fancy, elaborated and tasteless cocktails.

Chris Milligan is giving us one very versatile recipe for the fall season which you can always add a piece from yourself. Here it is 

Manhattan In Autumn

From Blush Cocktails

2 1/2 oz Knob Creek Bourbon

3/4 oz Nolly Pratt Sweet Vermouth

Candied Orange Peel

Stir with Ice and serve up into a Autumn Tincture coated cocktail glass.

Autumn Tincture:  in a small (4-5 oz) jar, combine 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 T nutmeg, 3/4 T Cloves and  seven drops of pure Vanilla.  Fill Jar with Booker’s Bourbon.  Shake jar once a day for minimum of 2 weeks.  Strain through coffee filter or cheese cloth into an atomizer or mist bottle.

Candied Orange Peel: With a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from and orange, then with a sharp knife slice the peels into 1/2 inch wide strips.  Place strips into a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil  then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until peels become translucent.  Remove from heat and strain.  Cover again with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil then add 1 cup of sugar.  Once sugar is dissolved, lower the heat and simmer until liquid reduces by half (20-30 minutes).  Carefully strain off syrup and reserve.  Place warm orange peels into a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup (give or take) of sugar and completely coat the outside.  Place peels on a sheet pan to cool until hardened (3-4 hours).  Store in an airtight container.  These will keep for 6 weeks!!

Oh yeah, the orange syrup can be used in place of Curacao or simple syrup.  Possibilities are endless.

¡Salud! 

This is a little tricky but the final result is more than satisfying. Enjoy and don't forget next time when you are with an Manhattan in your hand to make a toast for Chris giving this wonderful and creative recipe. 

Original article: 

http://santafebarman.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/manhattan-in-autumn/

Visit Chris's site:

http://santafebarman.wordpress.com/

Cheers !