Cooking Lesson #1035: Apple Blossom Cocktail

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

credit: diffords guide

How you doin’? The Apple Blossom cocktail is a delightful and refreshing cocktail that has a fascinating history with questionable origins and an average level of perplexity.
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The Apple Blossom Cocktail is believed to have originated in the early 20th century, during the era of Prohibition in the United States. This period, characterized by the ban on alcohol, led to the rise of speakeasies and the creation of innovative cocktails to mask the taste of bootlegged spirits.

The exact origins of the Apple Blossom cocktail are somewhat unclear, as is the case with many classic cocktails. However, it is widely believed to have been inspired by the blossoming apple orchards that were abundant in the northeastern regions of the United States.
 
The Apple Blossom cocktail typically combines the crisp and tart flavors of apple  with a hint of sweetness. It is often made with apple brandy or applejack, a spirit derived from apples. The addition of other ingredients such as lemon juice, grenadine, and sometimes a dash of bitters, enhances the complexity of flavors in this cocktail.
 
Over the years, the Apple Blossom cocktail has gained popularity and has been adapted by bartenders around the world. It’s refreshing taste and the use of apple-based spirits make it a perfect choice for those who enjoy fruity and well-balanced, easy to drink cocktails.
 
Ingredients 
2 ounces calvados / apple brandy / straight Applejack
2 ounces vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 apple wedge garnish
1 serving
 
Directions

1. Pre-chill a Coupe glass.
2. Prepare garnish of apple wedge or dehydrated apple slice.
3. In a mixing glass, stir the calvados, vermouth and bitters with ice.
4. Pour into the pre-chilled glass.
5. Garnish with apple wedge on rim or float dehydrated apple slice.

ChefSecret:  Today we think of Johnny Appleseed as a kindhearted fellow who spent his life wandering the forest and planting apple seeds. But in fact, he was actually a shrewd businessman who provided bootleggers with the raw materials to make hard cider.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why did the apple stop in the middle of the road?  A. It ran out of juice!
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