Maple apple butter, reducing waste from preserving projects, another cocktail, and more
I love autumn cooking. It feels so cozy to make some simple, nice things for myself when the weather cools down, and these particular recipes are all ones that feel like nice little treats for myself that make life just a bit more comfy.
Your monthly recipe round up includes:
Maple apple butter
Simmer pots
How to make apple scrap vinegar from your other projects (like apple butter)
A simple herbal-ginger cocktail that you can batch out or make one at a time
Simple cat lovers’ cocktail
Last month, I shared early access to the recipe for my Catwings-inspired cocktail, which I created for my Drinks in the Library podcast appearance (thank you again Gigi! Such a fun talk). You can listen to the episode here.
The original cocktail has a few steps, so I also made this simpler version for folks who wanted something herbaceous and warming without the hassle (or if you prefer whiskey cocktails to gin ones).
This is basically a Kentucky mule, with an added herbal garnish and/or herbal syrup (depending on your preference) in place of lime.
Stir together 1 – 1 1/2 c ginger beer to 1 shot bourbon.
Add herbal syrup (below) to taste
Garnish with fresh lemon balm, basil, or mint: lightly crush or roll before adding to the cocktail for maximum flavor
Herbal syrup (makes about 1 quart): Combine 2 c sugar to 2 c water with a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Add 1-2 c packed fresh herbs, depending how strong you’d like it (like basil, mint, lemon balm, or mountain mint). Simmer on M/L for 10-15 minutes or until aromatic and flavorful. Cool and store in the fridge in an airtight container.
Keep reading for homemade apple vinegar, and nice smelling autumn things!
Apple scrap vinegar
This is one of the easiest, most timeless ways to take your apple scraps from making apple butter or other projects. If you do a lot of apple growing or apple picking, then preserve the bounty, you’re well aware of how many scraps tend to be left over. Peels and cores add up quickly, and as someone who hates wasting food, this is my go-to way to use them.
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