The cornucopia is typically composed of many of the foods we associate with fall, and while the idea of gourds rotting on your table makes fake cornucopias a better idea, the flavors of fall are meant to be tasted, not looked at or made into fakes.
Fall cocktails draw inspiration from some of the foods associated with the cornucopia, including members of the gourd family. Johnny Walker, beverage manager at Picasso’s on Paseo, 3009 Paseo St., said the season is usually represented by flavors we have always associated with Halloween and Thanksgiving.
“The gourd family, of course,” Walker said. “Especially pumpkin. Baking spices — like nutmeg and cinnamon — are common. And cider. We’ll start our hot, spiked apple cider right after Halloween.”
Picasso’s offers the 1921 Tequila Cream, which Walker calls the “perfect cordial for fall.” The low-alcohol 1921 is smooth enough to sip over rocks, and it also makes a fantastic spiked coffee for fall evenings (or mornings, depending on your consumption).
Christopher Angel, a bartender at Will’s Lobby Cafe & Bar serves three new fall drinks that combine all the traditional flavors one would associate with autumn. First is the Butternut Buttered Rum, a blend of butternut squash-infused dry rum and brown butter whipped with allspice and served piping hot. As evenings get cooler, the patio at Lobby Bar, 4322 N. Western Ave., is a perfect place to enjoy this tasty season.
Angel Stork, bar manager at Lobby Bar, said berries are particularly reminiscent of fall.
“I think about cranberries, dried fruit — like apricots and peaches — cream and cinnamon apples. We also have an amazing pumpkin-infused dark rum.”
Christopher Angel uses berries differently for the Tommy Gun. The Tasmanian pepperberry is a shrub fruit indigenous to Tasmania, an island south of Australia. The berries are usually dried and used as a spice. Angel, however, combines Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, lemon juice, rich simple syrup and pepperberry tincture to create a cocktail with a wonderfully unique flavor profile.
Finally, Angel created a seasonal variation of the Moscow Mule. The Mezcal Mule No. 2 is a mixture of Mezcal, roasted jalapeño, lime, Domaine de Canton liqueur and ginger beer. It’s a smoky, earthy blend of flavors with enough ginger to lift the cocktail and give it zip.
A Good Egg Dining Group creates fall mixes at its Cheever’s Cafe and Red PrimeSteak restaurants. Beverage director Jason Ewald said both drinks use housemade grenadine with seasonal spices.
Cheever’s, at 2409 N. Hudson Ave., showcases the Autumn Daisy, a blend of Applejack (think concentrated, alcoholic cider), fresh-squeezed lemon juice and one of those housemade grenadines. In this case, it is cinnamon-pomegranate syrup, which contributes a spicy, sweet kick to this spiced apple cocktail.
At Red Prime, bartenders mix up Scofflaws. The drink has a fascinating history.
Ewald explained that “the Scofflaw was named for a word that was created in 1924 to describe those people who drank alcohol without regard for Prohibition.”
“The Boston Herald offered $200 to the reader who came up with the best word for this, and two entries tied with Scofflaw. The cocktail came sometime shortly thereafter and is one of the most overlooked classic cocktails, especially for how delicious it is,” he said.
The Scofflaw is a blend of Overholt Rye, grenadine, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and Dolin Dry Vermouth. The grenadine for the Scofflaw is a blend of dried, sour cherries, bourbon, star anise, cinnamon sticks and whole clove.
This cocktail is a complex blend of spices and flavors, and it’s served up with a lemon twist. Try it at 504 N. Broadway Ave.
Before it gets too cold, consider visiting the rooftop bar at Packard’s New American Kitchen, 201 NW 10th St.
Packard’s highlights the venerable apple with its cocktail selection. The Angry Bison is a blend of Bak’s Bison Grass Vodka, Angry Orchard Cider, St. Germain liqueur and sweetener served with a caramelized green apple and brown sugar. The Bison Grass Vodka gives the libation a distinct herbal subtext, as it’s distilled from rye and achieves its flavor from herbs, and the St. Germain contributes delicious elderberry sweetness.
