Spiced Maple Bourbon Fizz

Recipe from Half-Baked Harvest (Tieghan Gerard)

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 cocktail

We thought this cocktail was just delightful and perfect for the holiday season.  To make this easy for a small party, make the syrup a few days in advance.  Juice some lemons and store the juice and the syrup in the fridge.  Slice up an orange a day in advance as well for garnish.

Spiced Maple Syrup
(Makes enough for 6 drinks)
½ cup water
½ cup maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tablespoon cardamon pods
1 star anise
1-inch fresh ginger, sliced
Zest of 1 orange

In a medium pot, bring the water, maple syrup, cinnamon, cardamon, star anise, and ginger slices to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes.  Stir in the orange zest.  Let cool, then strain the syrup into a glass jar.  This syrup makes enough for 6 drinks.  It can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until needed.

Maple Bourbon Fizz
(Makes one cocktail.)
1 ½ oz. (3 Tablespoons) bourbon
1 oz. (2 Tablespoons) lemon juice
1-2 dashes orange bitters
1 oz. (2 Tablespoons) Spiced Maple Syrup
Champagne, for topping

In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 Tablespoons Spiced Maple syrup, the bourbon, the and orange bitters.  Add a few cubes of ice and shake.  Pour into a glass.  Top off with a bit of champagne.  Garnish with an orange slice or wedge and star anise, if desired.  

Sparkling Red-Wine Cocktails

8 Servings

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

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Keep the ingredients to this fabulous cocktail in your pantry and serve it to your favorite people when you are in a partying mood! Serve with GoatCheese Stuffed Mushrooms for a perfect dinner party starter. YUM!

• ¼ cup sugar (The recipe called for 1/3 cup, but it was just too much for coating the rims.)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large fresh orange, cut into wedges (I trimmed out the edge of each wedge and then cut each wedge in half crossways.)
• 5½ cups Lambrusco or other sparkling red wine, chilled (I used Riunite Lambrusco Emilia Italia Soft Lively Red Wine.)
• 24 ounces sparkling orange beverage, such as Orangina, chilled (I used 2 cans of Sanpellegrino Aranciata.)
• 4 ounces bourbon or other American whiskey (I used Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.)
• Ice (I put ice cubes in a large plastic bag and used my meat pounder to crush the ice.)

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and spread on a small plate. Rub an orange wedge around the rims of 8 rock glasses (Those are the short stubby glasses.)  Dip the glasses in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.  (You can do this in advance and store the glasses in the fridge.) Just before serving, combine the wine, the whiskey, and the orange sparkling beverage in a large pitcher.  Fill the glasses with crushed ice.  Add the cocktail mixture, and serve with orange slices.

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Note:  208 calories per serving

Poached Salmon With Bourbon & Maple Sauce

Here, this salmon is served with Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale Salad, Sautéed Veggies & Beer Bread. 

Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated via Louisville Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This was just superb.  It was quick and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, but elegant enough for a special meal with friends. Try it as part of a meal which includes other Husband-Tested Recipes like Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale Salad, Sautéed Veggies & Beer Bread.  All the ingredients, including wild caught salmon, are available at Lost River Market & Deli, however, the bourbon you'll have to get at a liquor store ;-)

1 large lemon

2 Tablespoons bourbon or brandy

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 medium shallot, sliced thin

¾ cup water

4 center-cut skinless salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon chopped chives or scallions

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut top and bottom off lemon; cut into eight to ten 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange lemon slices in single layer across bottom of 12-inch skillet. Whisk bourbon, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, and shallot together in small bowl. Add bourbon mixture and water to skillet.

Place salmon fillets in skillet, skinned-side down, on top of lemon slices (to prevent salmon from coming into direct contact with bottom of pan). Set pan over high heat and bring liquid to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until center of thickest part of fillet is still translucent when cut into with paring knife, 11 to 16 minutes (or until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of fillet registers 125 degrees). Remove pan from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer salmon and lemon slices to paper towel-lined plate and tent loosely with foil.

Return pan to high heat and simmer cooking liquid until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using spatula, carefully tilt salmon fillets to remove lemon slices. Place salmon on serving platter or individual plates; spoon sauce over top and serve.