Day 4 of 12 Days of Christmas Cocktails! Right now I have apples falling out the wazoo from the tree in my backyard. It’s a Black Arkansa Apple which doesn’t ripen till late fall early winter. They make amazing apple pie, but right now trying to maintain social distance isn’t practical because I’d be eating pie by myself. Instead I thought I would use them for a cocktail! You’re probably looking at the name of the cocktail and thinking it’s just an apple martini, but I assure you it’s not! I used the apples to make a shrub. A shrub is a sweet vinegar based syrup typically infused with fruit and herbs. This definition comes from 17th century England when vinegar was used to preserve fruit, and then in 19th century America it was commonly used mixed with water or alcohol. Today, you probably pay $5 for a bottle of Shrub at Whole Foods under the title “Drinking Vinegar”. It sounds gross at first, but if you like dirty martinis remember that the brine of olives typically contain an acid and lots of salt. Instead of saltiness, this shrub offers the martini a slight tanginess with flavors of apple, rosemary, and vanilla. Enjoy!

2.5oz Titos Vodka

0.25oz Dolin Vermouth Extra Dry

0.5oz Apple and Rosemary Shrub

Garnish: Fresh Rosemary Sprig

Grab a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Pour in all your ingredients and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain in to a chilled martini glass and garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary. Serve and enjoy!

Notes: Save the apple chunks from the shrub! They make a great replacement for an olive at the bottom of the glass because its pickled. If you have that one friend or family member that has very old school taste like I do I found that they preferred leaving out the vermouth and using 3oz of vodka.