After a long and exhausting day, there's nothing better than sitting down to a delicious cocktail with a blanket and the remote and watching an hour of trash TV. My dear husband has learned that there is a particular look I get at the end of a terrible day that suggests he'd be better off silencing his complaints about my dramatic TV shows and just coming along for the ride. Fall is officially my favorite season, but here in Hawaii, it doesn't exist in nature, so my only option is to create some sort of artificial fall wonderland in my home. Garlands of fall leaves, pumpkins and gourds and spice scented candles are pulled from storage. I make pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pancakes and roasted root veggies with pumpkin vinaigrette dressing. And inevitably, my cocktail repertoire gets an infusion of fall flavors as well. Tonight, I decided to play with a new bottle of honey-ginger syrup my husband picked up at the liquor store and concocted this delightful combination. It uses rye whiskey, which is so far outside my normal drinking routine, but seems seasonally appropriate.

Apple Crisp Cocktail

1 1/2 -2 1/2 oz. of rye whiskey (I used Templeton's). Mix this to taste (and how early you have to be up the next day).
1 oz honey-ginger syrup. (I used a bottled variety, but I included a recipe for an easy homemade version below).
Juice of 1/2 a lemon.
2 oz. fresh apple cider or high quality natural apple juice
Cinnamon sugar for the rim of the glass

Mix a spoonful of sugar and a dash of cinnamon in a shallow dish or small saucer. On another saucer/plate, add a few drops of honey-ginger syrup. Place the rim of the glass on the plate with the syrup and twist to coat the entire rim, then dip the rim in the cinnamon sugar. Add a large cube of ice.

In a shaker, mix the rye, lemon juice, syrup and juice or cider. Add a cube of ice and shake to combine. Strain the cocktail mixture into your rimmed glass and garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick, if desired.

Honey Ginger Syrup

In a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup water. Add a 1/2 inch piece of ginger (peeled and sliced) to the pan and heat over medium heat until mixture boils. Allow to reduce for a few minutes, until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and cool. Store in a jar or lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Last weekend, I found myself with a couple of hours of quiet time one evening, and rather than sit in front of the TV, I decided to catch up on my reading. I'm a subscriber to Click Magazine, a gorgeous photography magazine filled with inspiration and tips, but I've been so busy, I haven't had time to sit and just enjoy the last issue. I decided that a delicious cocktail, a fuzzy blanket, a comfy pair of PJs and a magazine were the perfect recipe for my unexpected evening alone. I'd recently picked up a new bottle of Ransom Old Tom gin, so I decided to mix up something cool and refreshing with it: a cardamom and mint cocktail. The recipe calls for Lillet blanc, a fortified wine from France that is frequently enjoyed over ice in its homeland, but most often finds it way into cocktails here in America. It pairs beautifully with gin, and the mint and cardamom add a cool and refreshing twist. Here's the recipe if you'd like to give it a try.

Cardamom and Mint Cocktail

A handful of mint leaves (at least 5 or 6)
2 teaspoons sugar or agave syrup
A generous pinch of ground cardamom, or 2 cardamom pods
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 lime)
2 ounces Lillet Blanc
1 ounce gin, I used Ransom Old Tom gin this time, but Hendricks is also delicious

Reserve 1 or 2 mint leaves for garnish, then toss the rest in a cocktail shaker. Dump in the gin and muddle the mint leaves to release their minty goodness. Add the Lillet, sugar/agave, cardamom and lime and a bunch of ice. Shake what your mama gave you (and what's in the cocktail shaker) for a good minute. Yes, a whole 60 seconds. Strain into a martini glass or coupe and garnish with the reserved mint leaves.