When I was younger I knew the seasons by the aroma of the house each time I walked through the front door. Or snuck in the back. It would lift clear off the stove and spread through the rooms of the house like wildfire. That first step inside and I could describe the changing of the guard outside. The scent would infiltrate my pores and stay with me forever.
Each new season brought with it a new butfamiliar bouquet of love. When it started getting cold out, there would bea pot of apple cider warming on the stove with cinnamon, cloves and spices. It was the canvas of ourautumns and it warmed my bones, year after year. That cider was a fixture from late fall through Christmas and I never tired of walking in and seeing my mom stirring the pot of cider with promise of a hot cup for me.
I remember fondly the weekend car drives we'd take up to my grandparents outside the city. Ilooked forward to seeing my grandparents and finding somereally good cider.My grandmother never drove all those years yet had the same dreams everyone does. She longed for country walks and Sunday drives. So that's exactly what we did. For her.
We'd pull up the old cracked driveway to see my grandmother sitting in her favourite spot by the window. She didn't have to move to see us coming. We would drop our things inside the house and take my grandmother away for a drive and walk. She had trouble going for longer walks, especially as she got older, but nothing could stop her from a date with nature and bird seeing. Just the three of us with my grandfather sitting in the car waiting. Like he always did.
We walked forever, but forever was only an hour or so back then. She would stop for a breath and point out the different birds. I would chase them away and she'd call them back. And we carried on.By the time we made it back to the car she was exhausted. And happy. Fulfilled.And then we'd take the scenic road home, made especially beautiful in the fall. All those majestic coloured leaves and towering lean trees skirting the side of the road.
On the way back we'd stop when we saw a sign for fresh apple cider. It runs in the family, all the way down the line. We eagerly waited for that first cup spent around the small kitchen table. Withinminutes of entering my grandparents house, the two women would go into the kitchen and my grandfather and I sat back and waited for the aroma to find us.
All these years later I still look for the cider signs. I know we're fully immersed in the season when I see it hit the shelves at the local market or see hand painted signs litter the countryside. I instantly think of my grandmother and wish she were here. Sharing a moment.
It's funny that I grew up in a big city and used to laugh off my small town roots. But those rootsare long and deep and lead back to my family. Now, after many years living the busy life in the big city, I'm back where I started. In the same small town I used to visit my grandmother in.
I'm only a few blocks from the street I visited as a young boy. They aren't here anymore, gone somewhere better. But as the weekends roll in I often wish I could drive up that old cracked driveway and see her sitting there. I'd pick her up and take her fora drive to the walking paths behind my house. Then, after bird watching,come inside my house and meet my wife and sharea pot of hot cider. She'd love that.
My wife and I love sharing a warm cup of cider as the night fades away and the fireplace plays on behind us. But sometimes, when the week is long and worn and tired, I like to turn my childhood drink intoa co*cktail fitting the man in me.
This punch is delicious and amazing. But it's more. The apple cider inside holds the key to my favourite memories. With my favourite people. And it reminds me of where it all started.
From my kitchen to yours,
Michael
Cider Rum Punch
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces dark rum
- 3ounces lemon juice
- 4 ounces thyme simple syrup
- 12 ounces apple cider
- 4ounces water
- 4 ounces club soda
- 8 dashed of Angostura Bitters
- sprigs of thyme, garnish
- apple wheels, garnish
Prep:
- To make thyme simple syrup, combine 2 cups sugar,1 1/2cups of water and 6 thyme sprigs in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring up to a boil and reduce to simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place the syrup in the fridge to cool.
- Place all the ingredients in a large picture or carafe with ice and stir.
- Fill your glasses with crushed ice and fill. Place a sprig of thyme inside and put an apple wheel on the rim.
- Serves 6.
FAQs
Fill glass with ice, old fashioned or the sort in my pic; add the cider and then the rum. Stir, don't shake, sit back and enjoy. This is GOOD.
What is the best rum for apple cider punch? ›
The best rum
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum has bold flavors of cloves and cinnamon spice finished with vanilla and oak and is light on sweetness. At times, you can pick up hints of toffee and caramel, which would be perfect with hot apple cider.
What liquor goes best in apple cider? ›
Traditionally cider is spiked with dark spirits, like the rum and bourbon in the recipes above. But what if you want something a little lighter? Vodka can do the trick. Since it doesn't contribute much in the way of flavor, we add fresh ginger for its distinctive, peppery-sweet flavor.
What kind of rum do you use for rum punch? ›
This single-serving Rum Punch uses both light and dark rum—a smart and easy way to add depth and complexity to a co*cktail. From there, pineapple and grenadine lend sweetness, orange juice brightens everything, and a lime cuts through the sugars and tropical sweetness to create a refreshingly tart profile.
What alcohol should you not mix with cider? ›
As students we would, if very broke, mix cheap cider and lager together in a flagon. This mixture was known colloquially as lunatic soup, because of the reaction to it. Mixing fruit alcohol and grain alcohol is generally considered to be a bad idea.
How much rum to put in cider? ›
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider.
- 1 apple, thinly sliced crosswise.
- 1 orange, thinly sliced crosswise.
- 2 cinnamon sticks.
- 1 -inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced.
- 2 cups dark rum.
This RumChataTini Cider co*cktail is full of Fall flavors and is a delicious sweet drink. The mix of brandy, RumChata, and apple juice make for an awesome drink and perfect to warm your belly as it starts to get cool outside.
Is rum or bourbon better in apple cider? ›
Liquor. We recommend spiking apple cider with your favorite kind of whiskey or rum. Whiskey adds warmth to the cider while rum adds sweetness. For a combination of sweet and spicy, try Fireball or another cinnamon whiskey.
Is Bacardi good with apple cider? ›
Embrace autumn's essence with a BACARDÍ Spiced Apple Cider Punch. This refreshing and easy-to-create co*cktail uses BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho to bring notes of baking spices, toffee, and vanilla to this seasonally inspired group serve.
What is vodka and cider called? ›
An apple martini (appletini for short) is a co*cktail containing vodka and one or more of apple juice, apple cider, apple liqueur, or apple brandy.
Apple pie, caramel flan, and fruit tarts are all great desserts to pair with cider. The fruity and sweet flavors in the desserts complement the fruity and sweet flavors in cider. The acidity in cider also helps to balance out the richness of desserts, making them one of the best food pairings for cider.
What co*cktails do people like cider with? ›
CIDER + SPIRITS = BFF'S
- 2 oz Triple Jam Vodka.
- 5 oz Soda Water.
- Ice.
- Garnish with fresh berries.
As a favorite aperitif in the Caribbean, a fruity Rum Punch co*cktail is perfect for any party. Made with BACARDÍ Superior and BACARDÍ Black rum - or with BACARDÍ Spiced for a fun twist - it offers a refreshing blend of tropical flavors. Serve, sip and enjoy with friends.
Does rum hit harder than vodka? ›
Rum does not get you more drunk than vodka. It's the amount of alcohol you consume in a given period of time, not the spirit per se that determines how drunk you get. For example a shot of vodka or rum (1.5 oz) will obviously enter the bloodstream faster than a co*cktail sipped slowly.
What is the difference between punch and co*cktail? ›
co*cktails, on the other hand, tend to treat spirits as the star, and will match the non-alcoholic elements ounce for ounce, or even forgo the add-ins entirely. Punches, therefore, contain significantly less alcohol, and since the highlight is often fruit juices, taste quite a bit sweeter than your standard co*cktail.
What alcohols should you not mix? ›
From beer and tequila to wine and whiskey, any combination of alcoholic drinks seems to lead to chaos. Despite these prevalent rules of thumb, there is no scientific evidence that points to a direct danger provided by putting two different types of alcohol together.
Can you mix spiced rum with apple cider? ›
The co*cktail is super simple to make: spiced apple cider, spiced rum, and hard apple cider. You can add in lemon or orange bitters if you'd like, but I like this with its pure apple flavor. If you're feeling really fancy, you can splash in 1/2 oz of cinnamon schnapps or Fireball!
What alcohol is OK to mix with rum? ›
Mix together rum, vodka, gin, tequila and triple sec to make this classic co*cktail. Serve with plenty of ice.
What goes well with cider liquor? ›
Cider is ideal when paired with all kinds of pork, whether you're making sausages, chops or bacon. The sweetness of cider contrasts the saltiness of the pork, working together to create unique and delicious flavours. Cider also goes well with chicken, especially in homely dishes like roast chicken or casseroles.
