Terra Americana

To me cranberry is the color of fall.  Rich and soothing, it warms my heart both by sight and taste.  Last year I sat on a beautiful shaded balcony.  The sun warmed what had started as a crisp day.  It glistened on the waters of the canal below.  I went there in search of a place to work outside.  While I did not speak the language of it's servers or patrons, the northern Italian restaurant offered fine wines and german beers.  I chose the fresh cranberry juice.

Ocean spray is a pale comparison to the lucious beverage I was served.  As the day wound down I drifted between toiling away at the task at hand and day dreaming about a langorous Sunday, good conversation and a pitcher of a spirited version of that juice.  Today I lived that dream.

• 1 lb fresh cranberries
• 1/8 cup Orange Vanilla Sugar  or 1 1/2 tbsp Xylitol
• 8 oz vodka (Try home made thyme infused vodka or  Luksusowa potato vodka from Poland)
  
• 1 cup orange juice
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Pulse all ingredients in a blender.  Serve chilled over ice.

The best creative cocktails start with the best spirits.  Mike and Dave at Westfield Spirit Shop are our go to guys to how to pair fabulous flavors.

Find them at:

440 Southampton Road
Westfield, Ma 01085

• Monday-Thursday 9AM – 10:30PM
• Friday-Saturday 9AM – 11PM
• Sunday 12-7PM

More of the colors of fall:

• Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies with pecans

• Johnny Cake Cobbler, with a dash of cranberries

• Baked apples with cranberries, raisins and walnuts

• Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Photo Credit: Julie T Cecchini