Holiday Cocktails: The Maple Anjou

The Maple Anjou was created especially for Drinks After Dark by Mark Brand, owner and mixologist at Boneta in Vancouver as a tribute to British Columbia winter.

You’re going to need a couple of items for your bar to create this drink, but it’s completely worth it, and you’ll totally impress your friends when you serve this.

You’ll need:
4 prong bar strainer
Small bar fine strainer (removes ice chips and other unwanted debris enhancing flavor and texture)
Classic Boston Shaker and Steel
Citrus Squeezer or Cheese Cloth for Lemon Juice
Very Sharp Peeler
Baking Trays
Baking Paper

If you can’t find a classic Boston shaker, use your regular shaker.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Itallisima Pear Nectar
2 oz Cinnamon and Peppercorn Infused Appleton Rum
1/4 oz 1 Lemon
4 1/2 teaspoon Maple Syrup
1/4 oz Cloudy Apple Juice
1/4 egg white (optional)

Infusion Instructions:
Add one stick of cinnamon and a quarter cup of black peppercorns to rum. Taste daily until desired flavor is reached (some like it subtle, others not so much). Strain into a plastic container removing all debris. Use a standard funnel to pour back into rum bottle.

Build all in classic Boston Glass
Add ice to steel portion of shaker 4/5ths full
Pour ingredients from Boston glass over ice and firmly tap Boston glass to ensure seal
Shake vigorously (30 seconds without egg white a full minute with)
Double strain into chilled martini glass
Garnish with dried pear chip* and mint leaf

Tip * keep martini glasses in fridge or fill with ice and water 2 minutes prior to serving. If using second method make sure that glass in dry before adding ingredients to ensure proper dilution.  Serving cold drinks in warm glasses is just like serving hot food on cold plates, never ever.

*Garnish Method:

Gently Peel three pears in top to bottom strips (approx 1 inch by 3 inches)

Lay moisture side down on baking tray on top of baking paper
Dust lightly with cinnamon, cracked pepper and maldon salt (or coarse salt of your choice)
Put same size baking tray upside down covering the first one and slide in oven on lowest heat
Allow to dry for 4-6 hours depending on oven temp or until dehydrated

Sounds delightful doesn’t it? Definitely a little more work that your standard diet soda and vodka, but much like “you get what you pay for”, you will notice the difference a little effort makes