Goodbye Summer…Hello Fall Cocktail!

With only a handful of summer days left, I’ve started to feel the onset of fall in Northeast Ohio…and I love it!

From planning our pumpkin patch visit and apple picking adventure to new boots and sweaters, this is MY SEASON. Personally, I also LOVE all fall food and flavors and don’t even get e started on pumpkin space everything…the best.

It’s also the time of year when my summer drink of choice does a bit of an overhaul. It typically goes something like this…Rosé’ to Red and vodka soda to bourbon ginger…overall richer, deeper, warmer. Then I discovered this drink, a Rosemary Maple Peach Bourbon Cocktail or what I like to call “Goodbye Summer…Hello Fall!”

I had a few friends over for an officially cocktail tasting and I think it was a smash hit! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Here is the recipe…give it a shot this Saturday when fall is officially here! Enjoy…CHEERS.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall Cocktail
(Makes 1 cocktail)

• 1/4 of an over-ripe peach, plus a few slices for garnish
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary maple simple syrup (below)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Bourbon (I HEART Watershed!)
• tiny pinch smoked sea salt
• ice
• rosemary sprig for garnish

Muddle together the chopped peach, rosemary maple simple syrup, lemon juice, bourbon and salt in a measuring cup or glass. Strain the mixture into a tumbler filled with ice, pressing on the fruit pulp to get out all the good stuff. Garnish with the peach slices and rosemary sprig.

Rosemary Maple Simple Syrup
Makes about 1 cup, enough for 10 drinks

• 3/4 cup lightly packed rosemary leaves (from about 10 sprigs), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (5 3/4 ounces by weight) maple syrup
• 1/2 cup water

Combine the rosemary, maple syrup, and water together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then cover and steep for at least 15 – 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the rosemary to extract all the liquid. Discard the rosemary. Chill the syrup until cold, 1 hour (or mix your drinks right away if you just can’t wait). The syrup will keep, refrigerated, for at least several weeks.