The latest from Twitter: @BlueOxCoffeeCompany plugs their peppermint mocha garnished with a Thin Mint from the Girl Scouts (it’s that time of year!), @ngonbistro announces their Valentine’s Day tasting menu, @RogueChocolate marvels that every one of their bars is hand-inspected by the founder himself, and @france44 is serving a decadent-sounding fig salami with blue cheese.
Many thanks to the various entrants of our Crispin Cider Autumn Cocktail Contest.
Empire Builder
Scott Wentzka
2 oz Crispin Original
½ oz vodka
½ oz Starbucks Coffee Liquor (*)
Dash of simple syrup
(*) Starbucks works here because its a liquor that’s about the coffee first. Something like Kahlua is too sticky-sweet and ruins the effect.
My wife and I are frequent visitors to the Pacific Northwest, and we always travel on the Empire Builder from here (home of Crispin) to Seattle (home of serious coffee freaks). This cocktail is now on our short-list rotation year-round.
It’s completely unintuitive, but the Starbucks actually enhances and highlights the subtle apple essence of Crispin Original. Crispin Original has such a subtle flavor (closer to champagne than the typical brewed hard cider); it’s all too easy to obliterate it — trust me, this works.
– Scott Wentzka
The St. Crispin Autumn Velvet
One part original Crispin Cider
One part Vouvray -or- Rosé Côtes-du-rhône
A splash of black currant juice
– Marie Flanagan
