Caramel apples sound autumnal, but this cocktail version, with its bright fresh lemon juice, will be high on my list this summer.
Similar to an “appletini” but with a touch of caramel flavor, this cocktail is not overly sweet. However, I wouldn’t dare call this a “martini” variation because the martini purists out there might throw a hissy fit (it happened when I posted the still popular Lemon Basil Martini. I still have scars.). Regardless of what you want to call this cocktail, it’s low-effort, high-reward.
See also:
- Hugo Cocktail
- Cosmopolitan Variations
- Summer Stone Fruit Sangrias
- Classic Negroni and Negroni Sgabliato
- Pisco Sour
- Pimm’s Cup
Arliano Update (Aggiornamento Arliano):
After a brief pause, work is resuming on our renovations. The plumbers and electricians came back this week to finish the wiring and plumbing before the floor and wall tiles will be set. Once that’s done, the transformation will be much more obvious and look like a house instead of a destruction zone. Weather pending, the solar panels will be mounted on the roof soon, too.
I have been planting seedlings and seeds in the garden in batches one to two weeks apart so that they are staggered when ready to harvest. Tomatoes are already forming on the first batch of San Marzano tomatoes. This year I am determined to avoid tomatoes with rotten ends (also affectionately known as “culaccio,” or ugly butt, in Italian) caused by inconsistent watering and lack of calcium. The irrigation system that Tom slaved over should be a big help. The two types of potatoes, garlic and onions are doing well. Also in the ground are the first batches of zucchini, eggplant, and assorted flowers. I think we may have lost one of our newly planted apricot trees for some unknown reason, but all the rest are doing fine. The existing cherry and peach trees have fruited this year, so I am beyond excited. The cherry trees must have heeded my warning of being cut down if they did not fruit again because we just picked our first batch. Now, how to safely climb up on the ladder to get the sweetest cherries 20 feet up in the air?
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Caramel Apple Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1-part vodka
- 1-part apple liquor (not apple brandy) Note: The brand I use is almost clear. Other brands may be brownish or green, so your cocktail may have a different hue than mine
- 1/2-part freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4- to 1/2-part maple or date syrup, depending on how sweet or unsweet you want . I suggest that you start with 1/4, then taste, and add more until it’s just right for you
- 1/4- to 1/2-part sparkling water
- Ice cubes
- Garnish with a thin apple slice or lemon peel
Directions
- Regarding serving size. This is very scalable. However, for one standard size cocktail, “1-part” = 1 ounce. If you want to make 4 cocktails at once, use a ½ cup or 4 ounces for each ingredient that calls for “1-part”. That said, if you would like to make a pitcher of these, “1-part” could = 2 cups.)
- Place all ingredients into a large cocktail shaker or large container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously for a good 30 seconds. Strain and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish and enjoy!
Greg Nelson Cooks 
This one looks fun! Thanks for keeping us updated on the garden and house renovations. Can’t wait to see both in person.
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