Spiced Pear Collins
To me, this cocktail is the epitome of autumn. If you want to wow your guests at your next Friendsgiving get together, I guarantee if you whip out homemade rosemary pear purée (which is surprisingly easy!) to make cocktails, you’ll get out of doing the dishes.
Ingredients:
1 oz rosemary pear purée
½ oz spiced simple syrup
¾ oz lemon juice
1½ oz gin
club soda
garnish: rosemary sprig
Directions:
Combine rosemary pear purée, spiced simple syrup, lemon juice, and gin into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for approximately thirty seconds, until chilled. Strain into a collins glass over ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
ROSEMARY PEAR PURÉE
Ingredients:
2 ripe pears, peeled & chopped
juice of ½ lemon
1-2 tbsp of honey
2 tbsp of water
1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
Directions:
Peel and chop pears and add them to a medium sauce pot — bring to medium heat. Add lemon, honey, water, and rosemary sprig. Bring to a simmer for approximately 15 minutes, until mixture has slightly thickened and pears are very soft.
Once cooled, remove the rosemary sprig, and add the mixture to a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze for 3 months.
*This should yield enough for 4 cocktails.
SPICED SYRUP:
Ingredients:
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
2 star anise
Directions:
Combine sugar, water, and spices into a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and let the flavors steep while the syrup cools completely (about 30 minutes to an hour). Once cooled, strain out the solids (spices) and transfer syrup into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for about two to three weeks.
PSST! THIS IS THE STUFF I USED: