Ruby Apple Pie Cocktail

The other night I was rummaging around in my freezer and I came across a bag of McIntosh apples. Why I had one bag of frozen, peel-on apples, I'll likely never remember. As a result, I got the urge to visit the olden days and make a bit of apple butter. I would later turn the rich apple butter into a torte.

But wouldn't you know it, I got preoccupied with something else. Lo and behold, those preoccupations led to me getting bored and super thirsty. Halfway through the cooking process, I just had to stop. I decided to allow my apartment to smell amazing and transform my impatience into thirst-quenching.

8 McIntosh apples, frozen
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 vanilla bean, split
1 star anise pod
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup honey

3/4 cup vodka
1/3 cup port
1/4 cup frangelico

1. Take the frozen apples and place them into a dutch oven
2. Add in the vinegar, water, vanilla bean, star anise, and cinnamon 
3. Put the lid on the pot, and simmer on medium heat for 2 hours
4. Remove from heat
5. Discard the star anise pod, and the vanilla bean, and reserve the apples for making apple sauce
6. Reserve all of the liquid in a separate container
7. Add the honey and chill to room temperature
8. Stir in the remaining alcohol, and chill

Serve on the rocks
Yield: 4-6 glasses

On these cold blistery days, a nice cocktail can take the edge off, and if you involve cooking, you get the extra heat to keep you warm. If, by chance you don't feel like cooking you can easily sub out apple juice, and save yourself some time. Either way, this is a slightly tart drink that balances between apple cake and warm cherry pie.

Keep Eating,
JTFussy