Tonight is the night we trim the tree.  It’s been sitting bare in the living room waiting for us to have enough time to decorate it.  It’s been a really busy week with work travel and school work (mine and the kid’s) and all the normal stuff a family deals with.  Poor tree has been just sitting there since Sunday waiting patiently.  So tonight we are ordering in some Thai and Vietnamese food (my kitchen is always closed on Fridays.  I don’t think I’ve made dinner on a Friday night for years).  We’ll eat our pho and spring rolls and curry and pad ze-ew and then we’ll get down to business.

I love a good winter cocktail, something fun and festive.  So I think tonight calls for something more than just a glass of wine, at least to start.  This is where the apple brandy comes in.  I have a bottle that I bought for a yummy cider punch I made last year.  So this recipe seems like the perfect choice for tonight.

I love an old fashioned, and I love apple brandy and so what’s not to love about this cocktail?  Bonus, did you know bitters are really good for digestion?  If you’re having some issues after a meal, have a teaspoon of bitters and it should help.

CHEERS!

APPLE BRANDY OLD FASHIONED

Ingredients:

• 1/4 oz simple syrup OR 1 sugar cube
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1 1/2 oz apple brandy (such as Clear Creek)
• lemon twist

Method:

1. If using sugar, place the sugar cube in the bottom of the glass and add the 2 dashes of bitters. Muddle well to blend the sugar and bitters, then add a few drops of water and stir to dissolve the sugar.
2. If using simple syrup, add the syrup and bitters to the glass.
3. Place a large chunk of ice into the glass filled with sugar and bitters and add the apple brandy. Stir well to incorporate the sugar and brandy.
4. Twist the lemon peel over the top, drop it into the glass and serve.