Happy Hour: Apricot Smash

This garden-to-glass cocktail pays homage to what I consider to be the most underrated Spring fruit of all time: the apricot. There's only a short window of time in May when these stone fruits are ripe, plump, and bursting with sweet juice; after that, they turn mealy and flavorless. Make the most of their short-lived season with a cocktail that highlights the fruit's floral, honeysuckle-like flavor. This tipple, which is inspired by the classic whiskey smash, calls for just apricots, agave, lemon, and bourbon. Got four ingredients and five minutes? Then make the apricot smash.

Ingredients

1 large, ripe apricot, pitted and quartered
3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce agave nectar
2 ounces bourbon
Mint, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Muddle the apricots at the bottom of the cocktail shaker until completely broken down. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Add the lemon juice, agave nectar, and bourbon. Shake vigorously until icy and well-combined.Double-strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer into an ice-filled lowball glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint, if desired.

Makes 1 drink.

View the original article here

Steaks and Chops: Apricot Pork Chops

Dec 16, 2003 Pretty good! This recipe tastes surprisingly homey - I think I expected a very exotic flavor. The effect is somewhere between a very subtle barbeque sauce and a fruity teriyaki or sweet & sour. This went together in a minute, and came out perfect in an hour. My family says they could go for this every couple of weeks or so - I'm going to try on boneless skinless chicken thighs, too. ** I used a light catalina dressing, and it didn't lose any flavor.

—LISAKP71 

View the original article here