An Autumnal Twist On A Classic Cocktail: Apple Primm's Royal

Photos by Jayme Henderson

What would you say is the most-gifted piece of produce? Zucchini’s prolific nature sits at a solid number one. When I tire of baking countless savory-sweet loaves of zucchini bread and creating every grilledand-stuffed iteration, I find myself gifting the surplus. I’d say that apples are a solid runner-up to the abundant summer squash, and they are almost always met with a much warmer welcome.

And in cocktail format, apples serve as a much more delicious ingredient.

For this fall-inspired recipe, I wanted to focus on this beloved Colorado-grown fruit and combine it with Pimm’s No. 1, an herbaceous, gin-based, botanical liqueur. It’s a twist on the Pimm’s Cup cocktail, a low ABV drink that’s traditionally made with Pimm’s No. 1, fresh lemon juice and ginger ale. I cozied-up this classic cocktail with the addition of fresh apple juice, zesty ginger and local wildflower honey. The addition of dry sparkling wine makes it “royale” and connects the complex flavors with refreshing effervescence.

In a party situation, I like to batch this crowd-pleasing recipe and serve it in a punch format. Just prep each cocktail glass with fresh ice, ladle out the cocktail, and let your guests garnish with a selection of presliced fruits, freshly cut herbs and edible flowers.

APPLE PIMM’S ROYALE

Yield: 1 cocktail

2 oz Pimm’s No. 1

1 oz fresh apple juice (look for Osito Farms’ “Pure Gold” organic apple juice)

¾ oz ginger-honey syrup (see below)

½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 oz dry sparkling wine (I used “The NFV” by The Storm Cellar)

GARNISHES

Cucumber ribbon

Apple slices

Pomegranate seeds

Citrus wheels

Seasonal herbs (mint, thyme, rosemary, shiso or lemon balm)

1. In a mixing tin, combine all of the ingredients, except for the sparkling wine.

2. Add a handful of ice, shake well and strain into an ice-filled wine or cocktail glass.

3. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with creative abandon.

GINGER-HONEY SYRUP

1 cup local honey

1 cup water

1 cup peeled, coarsely chopped fresh ginger

In a small saucepan, combine all three ingredients. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a low boil and simmer for five to seven minutes, letting the heat soften the ginger and infuse the honey syrup.

Remove from heat and let completely cool to room temperature. Strain the solids through a fine-mesh strainer and store the ginger-honey syrup in the fridge for up to two weeks.

This recipe yields a little under two cups of syrup. Use any leftover syrup on pancakes, in stir-fry dishes or in drinks that would benefit from a spicy kick.

Originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.