THE AUTUMN months hold great nostalgia for me. Growing up in a woodsy Boston suburb, I was enthralled with the jewel-toned change in season. September brought new colors to my backyard, new earthy smells roused by the leaves crunching beneath my feet. Autumn meant new sweaters and freshly chopped firewood, rosy cheeks and down comforters, and my very favorite weekend pastime, apple picking. My parents would bundle my brother and me into dorky puffy jackets and off we'd go in the station wagon, headed for the orchard. We'd come home with bags brimming with sharp, crisp fruit; whatever we didn't eat would go immediately into pies or tarts or the applesauce that Mom spooned alongside pork-roast suppers.
Now, naturally, my favorite fall drinks involve apples. Not the synthetic flavors of sickly-sweet "apple" martinis, mind you, but cocktails and wines and hard ciders that embody that familiar snappy sweetness and taste just the way autumn should.
Great hard cider is a little bit florid, a little bit fizzy. Though there are several different styles, varying in color, body, and taste, it's all made from fermented apple juice, and all a great accompaniment to chilly weather and fireside chats. I'm a local kind of girl, so I love the ciders churned out in Massachusetts. One particular favorite is West County Cider (413.624.3481; www.westcountycider.com), an artisinal family business that uses fruit from its own orchard (as well as other local orchards) to make several varieties of cider that range from light and summery to complex and hearty. Sample their Baldwin variety, made from the fruit of 100-year-old trees, at Magnolias Southern Cuisine (1193 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, 617.576.1971). For a list of more places that serve West County products, visit the company's Web site.
Of course, since autumn also ushers in frosty weather, why not treat your frosty self to something piping hot? Huddling over a mug of something steaming can be relaxing, even romantic. Grendel's Den (89 Winthrop Street, Cambridge, 617.491.1160) serves up two fragrant hot ciders that will warm you from head to toe. Their soothing, spiced hot rum cider and hot port cider ($4.75/each) epitomize cozy fall evenings. Apples have never had it this good!
Sophisticated palates that appreciate new tweaks on familiar flavors will adore the house-made infusions at Salvatore's (225 Northern Avenue, Boston, 617.737.5454), one of the dinnertime darlings that's giving the Seaport District its new trendy status. With its recently launched "Monday Flight Nights," Salvatore's offers diners the chance to sample four infusions for $15, including the Green Apple Golden Delicious, a vision of spicy smoothness. General manager Rose infuses her secret "special spice" with Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples, ginger, sugar, and Skyy vodka. The result? September afternoons in a glass. Head over to Salvatore's between 6 and 8 p.m. on Mondays and taste for yourself.
Apple brandies are beginning to get the recognition they deserve, and in the hands of beloved Boston mixologist Misty Kalkofen of Green Street (280 Green Street, Cambridge, 617.876.1655), lesser-known spirits like Calvados are slowly making their way down the throats of night owls. Calvados, a storied French brandy, is distilled from cider and then aged for several years. Kalkofen mingles it with fresh lime and lemon juices, plus a kiss of grenadine, to create the Jacque Minot ($7.50), the ultimate Francophile cocktail.
Of course, why should the French have all of the fun? Bostonians have a cocktail of their own, thanks to Red Sky (16 North Street, Boston, 617.742.3333). The Boston Apple ($10), which blends Bacardi Big Apple with apple schnapps and Crown Royal, is unique, fruity, and powerful. It packs a little more punch than a cider or brandy, but hey - who says autumn evenings on the town have to be demure?
The aptly named red apple martini ($10) at District (180 Lincoln Street, Boston, 617.426.0180) gives your lips just the right amount of pucker. Made with Shakka Apple and Three Olives Sour Apple vodka, the drink puts the run-of-the-mill Appletini to shame with its perfect balance of sweet and sour. Cranberry juice gives the cocktail an extra tarty twist.
Of course, I'm a fan of weekend escapes, especially in the fall when the richly hued foliage makes for a Technicolor journey. One of my favorite destinations: Nashoba Valley Winery (100 Wattaquadoc Hill Road, Bolton, 978.779.5521; www.nashobawinery.com), a beautiful hilltop orchard and winery where the sparkling apple wine is truly something to celebrate. Nashoba makes its own spirits as well, including varieties of apple brandy and vodka. Visit the winery's Web site for a comprehensive list.
Though the days of diving into red-and-orange piles of leaves are long behind me, and Mom's apple pie has been relegated to an annual Thanksgiving appearance, my fondness for the tang of a firm apple will never fade. While I can't make it out to the orchard every weekend, at least I can enjoy the essence of apples at some of the best bars and restaurants in the city - without having to wear that dorky puffy jacket. @
[Photo by Kelly Davidson.]
