I Choose Fall
Fall in Arizona means the temps finally drop below 100 degrees and we all head out of doors again. I'm not sure I will ever get used to it. I grew up a pear farm in the mountains of Washington State. So fall to me meant fresh fruit and leaves falling to the ground and bonfires and hot spiced cider. In Arizona we don't really have those things so we have to choose to enjoy fall here. My childhood home is the inspiration for this spiced fall cocktail.
That beautiful stoneware cup comes from local Phoenix based artist Jillian Schimmel of Lafayette Avenue Ceramics There is just something about the way stoneware fits into your hand that feels warm and earthy and stable and comforting. It seemed well suited to a fall cocktail.
I titled this the "Pearadiso" it's a play on the Italian word for Heaven, paradiso. When you sip, it brings all the comfort and sweetness of a happier place. It's a play on an Old Fashioned. Just a few ingredients; bourbon, a homemade syrup and bitters. The complexity comes from the play off the homemade Pear Chai syrup and the black walnut bitters.
The Pearadiso Cocktail
- 2 Ounces Bourbon
- 1/2 Ounce Pear Chai Syrup (recipe below)
- 2 hard dashes black walnut bitters
- fresh grated nutmeg for garnish
Mix everything over ice for 20 seconds and serve over a large ice sphere or block. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.
Pear Chai Syrup
- 2 Cups white Sugar
- 1 Cup Demerara or raw sugar
- 3 cups water
- 2 Bartlet pears chopped with seeds removed
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1/2 star anise
- 1 whole allspice
- 1 T loose Vanilla Chai tea
- 1 T Orange Blossom Water
Lightly crush the cardamom, anise and allspice and put all ingredients into a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Cover with a lid and let cool for 2 hours. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and put into a sealed container in the refrigerator.
