Eve, an Apple Vermouth Cocktail

Adapted from Paul Clarke

Lately I've been reading a fine blog called Supper in Stereo, where I found this recipe, which Paul Clarke had posted on Serious Eats. The best word to describe this cocktail, originally concocted by Audrey Saunders of the Pegu Club on West Houston Street (formerly of Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle), is lovely. It is a delightful aperitif, very light and appetite-stimulating, which is, of course, the point of a preprandial drink. It would also make a nice gift for those of you who want to go handmade for Christmas, or if you want to bring an unusual host or hostess gift when you go to a dinner party.

With my Benriner mandolin , I sliced the Macintosh apples very thin. Since I didn't have organic specimens, I peeled them, but I would probably leave the peels on organic apples to color the infusion a light pink. I had to use two jars because I didn't have one large enough to hold eight sliced apples and one liter of vermouth. By doing that, I was able to use all eight apples.

Definitely try this.

1 liter Noilly Prat Extra Dry vermouth (make sure it’s a fresh, unopened bottle)
8 Macintosh apples

Cut the apples into v-e-r-y thin slices. Put the slices in a large jar and completely cover the apples with the vermouth. (Save the bottle the vermouth was in, and wash it to use later. ) If you have to use two jars because you don't have one that's big enough, divide the apples between the jars.

Put a top on the jar, and refrigerate it for five days, shaking the jar carefully once a day.

Strain the liquid from the jar through a fine sieve. Put the strained liquid in the washed vermouth bottle, and put the cap on the bottle. Refrigerate.

To serve, pour four ounces of the flavored vermouth into a saucer champagne glass or a martini glass.

Print recipe.