The spice rack is inspiring much more than your favorite cookies this holiday season. According to author Kara Newman, spices and spicy cocktails are the top trend in drink culture. Newman's new cocktail book, Spice & Ice: 70 Tongue-Tingling Cocktails (Chronicle Books) debuting in October, explores the natural harmony between mixology and spices. NAVAN Natural Vanilla Liqueur, made from 100 percent Madagascar natural vanilla, the world's second most expensive spice after saffron, offers a sneak peek at a cocktail from Spice & Ice along with the Fall into NAVAN Punch, created by mixologist Aisha Sharpe.
Fall Spice Cordial
Recipe courtesy of Spice & Ice, by Kara Newman.
Prepared warm or cold
1 ounce NAVAN Natural Vanilla Liqueur
1 ounce bourbon
¾ ounce chipotle-orange syrup*
2 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
Orange peel, for garnish
Mix together all ingredients except for the orange peel. Shake together with ice and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with the orange peel.
*Chipotle-Orange Syrup
2 cups water
1 chipotle pepper
2 strips fresh orange peel
¾ cup sugar
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and add the chipotle pepper and orange peel. Cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain with a fine-mesh sieve and add the sugar. Return to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour the syrup into a container and keep in the refrigerator.
Fall into NAVAN Punch
Developed by Aisha Sharpe.
½ ounce NAVAN Natural Vanilla Liqueur
1 ounce light spiced rum
1 ounce apple juice
¼ ounce lemon juice
1 bar spoon of freshly extracted ginger juice
¼ ounce maple syrup
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Pomegranate seeds and grated nutmeg for garnish
Heat the apple juice, rum, NAVAN and lemon juice over low heat. Add the ginger juice, syrup and bitters and pour into a glass mug. Top with pomegranate seeds and grated nutmeg.