You can’t beat NYC’s The Red Cat Restaurant for a great meal. But a look at the cocktail menu proves they know they’re way around a drink as well.
Among my favorites, the “American Mother, a mixture of Applejack (a strong liquor made from Apples), cider, and honey-thyme syrup. (Honey thyme syrup, by the way, is also a homeopathic remedy that is not only delicious but also soothes a sore throat.) You can use it in other cocktails that have a strong byte too. (I would actually enjoy it in a whiskey cocktail as well.)
Here is our cocktail, inspired by The Red Cat’s “American Mother.”
First, make the honey-thyme syrup:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 -3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 cup honey.
Get started:
Take 1 cup of boiling water and place two sprigs of thyme directly in it, allowing the thyme to steep and soak for 20 minutes.
Not a thyme person? Try rosemary! That would be fantastic in a gin and tonic!)
Allow the water to cool slightly, and then strain the thyme out and pour the thyme water into a small sauce pan.
Take ½ cup of honey into the sauce pan with the thyme water and boil them together for 1-2 minutes, or until you have a slightly syrupy consistency.
Refrigerate the syrup until you are ready to use it. (if you’re trying to soothe a sore throat, add some lemon and sip it while its still warm!)
Next make the cocktail:
Ingredients:
Applejack
Apple cide
Honey-Thyme Syrup
Apple slice, for garnish!
Get mixing!
In a tall glass full of ice, pour in 2 shots of Applejack
Add 1 tablespoon of Honey-thyme syrup
Fill remainder of glass with Apple Cider.
Garnish with an apple slice!
Enjoy!