ATWATER COCKTAIL CLUB WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BARS IN QUEBEC, IF NOT THE COUNTRY, TO GET THEIR TO-GO COCKTAIL KITS OFF THE GROUND.
“In two weeks, we went from the closures to our first sale,” says Kate Boushel, director of beverage and education for Barroco Group. The province’s restrictions on liquor sales remain the toughest in Canada. Only restaurants are allowed to sell bottled wine, beer or cider. Atwater, which sells through sister restaurant Foiegwa, is thus limited to selling cocktail mixes. But what lovely mixes they are. The new seasonal offerings include Early Harvest, made with pungent ginger syrup that can be mixed into a wintry iced apple cider at home.
INGREDIENTS
- 90 ml (3 oz) unfiltered apple juice
- 20 ml (3⁄4 oz) lemon juice
- 15 ml (1⁄2 oz) cinnamon-and-star-anise syrup*
- 10 ml (1⁄3 oz) ginger syrup** (or substitute 5 dashes Angostura bitters)
- 60 ml (2 oz) spirit of choice (aged whisky, rum or cognac recommended)
Note: Both syrups may be replaced with 25 ml (1 oz) of Marie Brizard Gingerbread Syrup.
GARNISH
- dehydrated apple slices and cinnamon sticks
METHOD
Combine ingredients over ice in a shaker. Shake hard and strain into a highball glass with fresh ice. Add garnish.
*Cinnamon-and-Star-Anise Syrup
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
- 250 ml (1 cup) sugar
- 2 medium cinnamon sticks
- 1 medium star anise
Place water, cinnamon and star anise in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and steep for one hour. Remove cinnamon and star anise. Add sugar to the liquid, bring back to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool and store in the refrigerator.
**Ginger Syrup
- 250 g (1⁄2 lb) ginger root, unpeeled
- 250 ml (1 cup) sugar
Wash ginger root and extract through electronic juicer or press. Combine equal parts ginger juice and sugar in a saucepan on low heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool and store in the refrigerator.
