What I'm Drinking: An Apple Cidercar Cocktail

You know that autumn is fully upon us – and winter is coming – when the chicken drinkers are nearly frozen over. At least, that's a good sign when you live on a farm. This morning when I woke up, it was 27 degrees out and there was a layer of sparkly frost on the ground. I bundled up with a scarf and my down jacket before I headed out to do farm chores – including checking the food and water for the broilers, layers (and their rooster "friends"), and hogs.

Today marks our last week with our little piggies – who aren't quite all that little any more – as they "go to market" next Wednesday. It has been fun having them on the farm this year. Each of the three pigs has its own personality, with Scratchy (so creatively named as he likes to get scratches) being the friendliest. Little Girl has finally warmed up to us over the past few weeks, while Big Boy would rather have nothing to do with us, aside from us ensuring that their feeder is always topped off. I will definitely miss their snorts of hello and piggy kisses (aka, mud splotches all over my clothes). But, I can rest assured that up to the end, they had a better life than 97% of pigs raised in the United States.

So, on this chilly autumn day, let's toast to our three hogs and the joy and fun they have provided for us this summer and the bellies they will fill this winter.

Nothing screams fall to me more than apple cider, so for today's toast, I've made a riff on the traditional sidecar cocktail by adding in apple cider and garnishing the drink with a thin slice of apple. The sweetness and subtle spiciness of the apple cider complements the citrus flavors from the Cointreau and lemon juice. And the brandy will warm you right up after coming in from the cold.

Apple Cidercar Cocktail

makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 ounces apple cider
1 1/2 ounces brandy
3/4 ounce Cointreau
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
ice
thin apple slice (from the center to get the star shape from the seeds), for garnish

1. Add the apple cider, brandy, Cointreau, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds and strain into a coupe glass.
2. Garnish with a thin slice of apple and serve.