Apple Toddy

INGREDIENTS:

• Half a baked Macintosh apple
• Heaping teaspoon sugar
• 2 oz Boiling water
• 2 oz Bonded applejack (Laird’s), cognac (Martell VSOP) or bourbon (Woodford Reserve)

Garnish: Grated nutmeg

Glass: Mug

PREPARATION:

Fortunately, the labor-intensive part of this drink lies solely in baking the apples. Take half as many Macintosh apples as you’d like to make drinks, core them, peel them and wrap them in wet parchment paper. Bake them in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes until completely soft. Set aside to cool. For each drink, warm a heatproof mug by rinsing it with boiling water. Put in half a baked apple and a heaping teaspoon of sugar and muddle them quickly together. Add 1 oz boiling water and stir. Add 2 oz applejack, cognac or bourbon and stir again. Add 1 oz boiling water. (The staggered addition of the water keeps the drink as hot as possible). Grate nutmeg over the top and serve.