Eleanore’s apple highball. Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: Seb Davis. View image in fullscreen Eleanore’s apple highball. Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: Seb Davis. The good mixer Cocktails Cocktail of the week: Eleanore’s apple highball – recipe A classy autumnal aperitif with a pleasingly bitter zing
Prefer the Guardian on Google I adore calvados, and this highball was built off the back of a love for calvados and tonic. This refreshing aperitif expands on that idea andfeels really quite sophisticated in comparison.
For the apple syrup 250g eating apples , washed – we use braeburns 250g caster sugar
For the drink 25ml calvados – we use Avallen 20ml Lillet Blanc 15ml apple syrup (see above and method) 15ml fresh lemon juice 1 dash orange bitters – we use Regans’ 1 dash champagne , to taste 1 dash tonic water , to taste 1 twist lemon zest , to finish
First make the syrup. Dice the apples, core, peel and all, put them in a saucepan, and add the sugar and 100ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until the apples are soft and the sugar has dissolved. Fine strain into a clean jar, seal and store in the fridge, where the syrup will keep for up to four weeks (it’s also lovely diluted with sparkling water).
To build the drink, put all the liquids bar the champagne and tonic into a cocktail tin filled with ice and give it a short shake. Strain into a small chilled highball glass filled with fresh ice and top with a dash each of champagne and tonic. Give it a quick stir, squeeze the lemon zest over the top, to express the oils (if you like, drop it into the drink afterwards), and serve.
Johanna Cole, general manager, Eleanore , Edinburgh