The genesis of two apple drinks

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | February 20, 2003 | Gary Regan

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This week, The Professor, our cocktailian bartender, makes a couple of tempting drinks created at San Francisco's Chaya Brasserie -- and he learns that they can lead to matrimony.

"He'll have a draft beer, and could you make me an Apple Martini like the ones they make at Chaya Brasserie?" asks the female half of a youngish couple who walk into the bar.

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You know how it goes, its February, winter's starting to look a little long, you need a little change of pace...

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CHAYA BRASSERIE CANDIED APPLE MARTINI
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Van Gogh Wild Appel Vodka

1/2 ounce Cuarenta y Tres liqueur

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce cranberry juice

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Serves 1

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THE RED DELICIOUS
Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Van Gogh Wild Appel Vodka

3/4 ounce de Kuyper Sour Apple Pucker or Van Gogh Applefest

1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce cranberry juice

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Serves 1

[folklore]

Thanks. I have been pourin' and shankin' for almost 30 years. You got any more?

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If I can find it I'll post a really easy recipe for producing your own outstanding apple-infused wodka; the catch is, you have to let it sit for several weeks without touching it, if you know what I mean.

[Treebeard]

I'll have a hickory daiquiri, Doc!

[southernnorthcarolina]

What have we here? MINOs (martinis in name only)?

There's no accounting for taste, of course, and novice drinkers in particular look for sweet concoctions with the taste of alcohol disguised. But why the compulsion to call these drinks "martinis"? I suppose it makes the imbiber feel more sophisticated drinking something with a grown-up name. And no doubt the bar can get away with adding a buck to the price just because of the name.

I'll stick with the real thing, thanks. Here's mine:

Stir or gently shake 3 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin and 0.5 oz. dry vermouth with ice, strain into a martini glass, and add two onion-stuffed olives on a toothpick.

Hints: 1) Shaker, glass, vermouth, and gin should be chilled if possible, to minimize dilution. 2) Remember, vermouth is perishable. Buy it in small bottles, keep it refrigeratored, and use it within a month. 3) Don't drink these at lunch; you are not a character in a New Yorker cartoon.

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Try this:

1 bottle of premium vodka

3 Granny Smith apples

Peel and core the apples, slice thin.

Combine apples and spirits in a 2 quart container that seals well.

Let sit for FIVE WEEKS.

Strain into original bottle. A fine strainer will do but you may need to layer cheese cloth.

Taste it as it ages if you must but you will notice a slightly bitter taste that will disappear as time passes.

This is the real McCoy! You'll never try another taste of over flavored, sickly sweet, manufactured product again.

[folklore]

A martini with onions is called a gibson. They come with pearl onions. You bruse the gin if you shake it, not the vermouth. you are right on the shelf life on vermouth.

[folklore]

You might just hit on something. Drinks from around the country. What is best and what is worst. Keep this thread going and see what happens.