The Lush Chef

This time of year, the Lush Chef always has a big jug of cider in the fridge.  I drink it cold with breakfast, hot at night while I'm watching TV or added to my cocktails.  Ever since I got a nice big bottle of Bols Barrel Aged Genever, I've been playing around with different recipes.  I decided to do a fall twist on their Manhattan by adding some of Trader Joe's Spiced Apple Cider.  You can obviously use regular cider, but I wanted this cocktail to have a spiced kick and it went perfectly with the sweet and herbal Genever.

Spiced Apple Cider Manhattan - makes 1
Ingredients:

• 2 oz Bols Barrel Aged Genever
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 1 1/2 oz spiced apple cider
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1 cocktail cherry (I used one of my yummy Brandied Cocktail Cherries)
• 1/2 or whole piece of star anise

- Add the genever, vermouth, apple cider and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass that has your cherry in the bottom.
- Garnish with the star anise.