The I Learned Sunday

I had to take care of one of my favorite doggies, Dembe, when my dad had his hip surgery. Many days later, I was missing my place of living, and we’d decided I’d go home Sunday evening. My heart and my soul were beyond happy, and, celebrating seemed in order. Like always, when I celebrate I want something good to the tongue. Normally, I would have frontloaded the bourbon rather than the gin, but I decided to switch them. It ended up with a balanced cocktail, one I’m proud of. Maybe, just maybe, the idea of celebrating returning to my humble abode sparked one of my best ones yet!

Ingredients:

2 parts Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin

1 part Four Roses Bourbon

1/2 part Grade A Vermont Maple Syrup

5 dashes Peychaud’s Aromatic Bitters

3 chunks from small apple, cored and chopped, for garnish

Directions:

Add three, large, square ice cubes to a mixing glass. Pour in bourbon, gin, and maple syrup. Dash in five dashes bitters. Stir with back of bar spoon until mixing glass is ice cold. Strain into short stemmed martini glass. Garnish with chunks apple slid onto a skewer.