2023 Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – Day 18 – Fair Isle Sipper. If you’re a fan of the modern classic cocktail, The Paper Plane, I’m willing to bet you’re going to enjoy this Fair Isle Sipper.
This is a citrus-forward cocktail made with clementine juice, spicy clementine cordial, bourbon, and Aperol. The latter tastes primarily of orange and vanilla and is on the sweeter side of Amari out there. This combination of flavours accentuates the vanilla and caramel notes in the bourbon to yield a delightfully easy-drinking tipple.
I’m relishing this Fair Isle Sipper right now because it was a bit of a rough weekend. My poor boyfriend Michael was playing co-ed rec league soccer on Friday night and in the final seconds of the game, one of his opponents kicked him right in the Achilles, rupturing the tendon.
Can we talk about the rampant fragile masculinity in recreational sports? I went to watch one of Michael’s games once before and the skill level was on par with that of a bunch drunk five-year-olds – it’s meant to be “just for fun”. And yet, there’s always one or two assholes on the pitch trying to prove something – pushing, tripping, shoving, shit-talking. I used to play co-ed soccer too and stopped because I didn’t want some dude’s desperate ego to leave me in a stretcher – plus, they never pass the ball, even when you’re better than them.
We spent all day Saturday sitting in the emergency room at the hospital. If you haven’t been following along with our home renovation journey on Instagram and on the blog, Michael is an incredibly capable young man. From completing the intricate checkerboard tile floor in our kitchen to adding chair rail panelling in our powder room and installing everything from water lines for pot fillers to homocidal light fixtures, he is a real Mr. Fix-It.
I’m sure the next few months of recovery will be challenging both physically and mentally as repairing an Achilles injury is slow-going with surgery and a walking boot/crutches. But I’m prepared to embrace my role as nursemaid for my adorable invalid and improve my cardiovascular capacity by doing all the shovelling this winter.
Aside from the snow removal, we had a couple more projects we were hoping to undertake this winter including gutting and refitting the entryway. Fear not friends, I’ll try my hand at swinging a sledgehammer and installing drywall. I’ve already mastered tile installation so that should be a breeze when I attempt to lay penny round tile mosaics in the entryway with the words “hello friends” scrolled in contrasting tile. What could go wrong?
The most important thing is that my darling Michael gets back to full health and as my friend Katie put it, “gets a speeding ticket on his road to recovery”. Everything else can wait, aside from the snow removal, I guess. That being said, if you’re handy and want to volunteer your time to our renovation efforts, don’t be shy.
Tune into my Instagram Stories tonight at 5 p.m. Eastern for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make this cocktail.
Cheers, friends!
Fair Isle Sipper
- 1½ oz bourbon
- ½ oz spicy clementine cordial
- ½ oz Aperol
- 1 oz clementine juice
- Garnish: rosemary sprig
- 8 limes peeled and juiced (approx. 4 oz lime juice)
- 4 clementines peeled and juiced (approx. 4 oz clementine juice)
- 2- inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and chopped
- 6 cracked cardamom pods
- 1 Thai chili diced
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
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Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
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Strain into a rocks glass over a king cube.
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Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
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Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan (including all citrus peels) over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently.
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Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until syrup is slightly thickened.
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Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
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Remove solids and fine strain into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
