This post is sponsored by Wisconsin Cheese Talk. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite!
Your guests will never know how ridiculously quick and easy this elegant fall cocktail recipe is. Wow them with this Sparkling Apple Sidecar!
So, did we all recover from Thanksgiving?
I sadly had to put the elastic sweatpants away and stuff myself back into work clothes today. It was a great holiday weekend of eating though. My brother and sister-in-law hosted their first every Thanksgiving, and I gotta be honest. They #nailedit.
The day after Thanksgiving may or may not (it definitely did) have contained some leftover magic... including these Thanksgiving Leftover Hand Pies and Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles. I unfortunately didn't have any apple pie, or I totally would have made the Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns for breakfast.
And guys... as soon as Asheley woke up Friday morning, I dragged her butt up to the attic so we could get all the Christmas decorations down. I know. She was less than thrilled. Especially when I started blasting Christmas music throughout the house and was overly jolly and excited about the holiday season. But hey, now we are all decorated and officially in the Christmas spirit. Right Asheley?! 🙂
One reason why I totally love this time of year? The parties. We totally love getting together with friends. And if there is one thing I've figured out the past few years about hosting a great party, it's this... get a drink in their hands as soon as friends walk in the door.
Hi, how are you? So good to see you! Give me your jacket.... boom, here's a Sparkling Apple Sidecar.
Asheley and I hosted an intimate little dinner party a couple weeks back and these creative apple cocktails were waiting for people as they walked in the door. And listen, I kinda sorta made a mistake. I only planned for and made enough for one per person. I figured, eh, it's a little apertif for people to sip on before dinner. Errrr, wrong.
Everyone went teen-girl-at-a-One-Direction-concert crazy over this little Sparkling Apple Sidecar. They kept coming up to me asking for more. Doh!
Lesson learned. This Sparkling Apple Sidecar rocks... make way more than you think you need next time.
Entertaining tip #2... what goes great with a welcome cocktail? A killer-looking cheese board. I used the super cool new Cheese Cupid pairing tool to figure out what cheese to serve and bam... it told me Wisconsin Parmesan was the way to go.
Cheese Cupid is like a dating website for cheese and drinks. They find you a perfect match 😉 It's actually super fun, easy to use, and SO helpful. Because really, who has time to memorize what cheese goes with what drink?
So bam... get your friends excited at your next party. This Sparkling Apple Sidecar. Some good Wisconsin parmesan. Make it happen 🙂
View this Sparkling Apple Sidecar and a whole lot more recipes from Wisconsin Cheese Talks here!
Print
Sparkling Apple Sidecar
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 3 ounces apple brandy
- 2 ounces triple sec
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice*
- 4 ounces good-quality apple cider
- Champagne or prosecco, chilled
Instructions
- Combine the apple brandy, triple sec, lemon juice, and apple cider in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake mixture until well combined. Strain and divide among four champagne flutes, filling approximately ⅓ to ½ of each glass. Fill the rest of each flute with champagne or prosecco.
Notes
*approximately 2 lemons
- Prep Time: 5 mins
Cheese Cupid Giveaway: $25 worth of Wisconsin Cheese & Wisconsin-shaped cutting board
Want to win $25 worth of Wisconsin Cheese and a sweet-looking Wisconsin-shaped cutting board? To enter, visit the Cheese Cupid Facebook page and find the post about this Sparkling Apple Sidecar. Leave a comment telling them 1.) which drink you would pick from the Cheese Cupid Pairing Tool to pair with Wisconsin parmesan, and 2.) who you would share your pairing with if you win!
Full Contest Details:
How to Enter:
The giveaway is open for entry from Nov. 30 through Dec. 6, 2014.
1.) Visit the Cheese Cupid Facebook page.
2.) Leave a comment on the post featuring this Sparkling Apple Sidecar that includes:
- Which drink from the Cheese Cupid Pairing tool you would pair with Wisconsin parmesan
- The name of a friend you would share the prize with if you won
Official Rules:
- Entrants must be U.S. residents aged 21 or older.
- Entries are limited to one per household.
- One entry will be chosen at random as the winner.
- Entry period ends Saturday, Dec. 6, after 11:59 p.m. EST.
The winner will be announced within the same Facebook post on Dec. 8, 2014.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes)
Now this is a drink I could go for right now for sure. Can you make me some and bottle them up and send them to Chicago? Thanks in advance for that.
Kristine
I can see how this drink would be a hit at any holiday party! If I weren't pregnant, I'd be running out to get the ingredients. Pinned for next year! 🙂
Bianca
A sparkling cocktail and some cheese are certainly key to entertaining! I totally want one (or three) of this drink right now.
Ashley
Cocktails and cheese are my absolute favorites at parties! haha I love this!
And that drink looks absolutely amazing ... I wouldn't mind one right now to relax after a long day! 🙂
Kathy
I'll take two of these cocktails with all that cheese please. Thank you 🙂
★★★★★
Matt
I've always wanted to learn how to do this. Sparkling!
David
Love this drink idea! And serving it with Wisconsin parmesan? Even more awesome! When you invite me over for dinner later this week, I expect you to have enough of these made in advance. Oh, and long live the Christmas music!!
Christine
LOL about the Christmas decorations, I always loathe the process but am then so happy and thrilled when they are up and the Christmas music is blasting! and as a booze hound you know I'm allll about this recipe - Cheers!
Helen
What an interesting little cocktail. I've never tried anything like it but can pretty much predict that I would want more than one. So yup, great tip re. making more than one each. 😉
We're 'getting into the Christmas spirit' this weekend ... tree and decorations up etc. ... can't wait!!
Cate
You are speaking my language with this cocktail, and with that giant wedge of cheese! What a perfect holiday party spread. I'm totally in the Christmas spirit too! I spent all weekend baking and decorating!
Mike
"Everybody went teen-girl-at-a-One-Direction-concert crazy over this little Sparkling Apple Sidecar", this sentence begs two questions: (1) who are your friends? (2) How do you know how teen girls behave at a 1D concert?
I have a 12-year old niece, so I know because she lost her voice from screaming too much. But you? Have you been to a 1D concert? :/
...just kidding...
Man, these cocktails are L.E.G.I.T. Bring some next time we'll meet at the Tilting Rock for one of our legendary "howl at the moon until we're howled out" nights. MMkay?
#WolfpackDrinks
Annette
I love Riesling, so I'd pair it with a bottle of that and I'd share with my best friend.
Shashi
Haha - I think I might have gone "teen-girl-at-a-One-Direction-concert " crazy too if I found out I only got one of these!!!
Vickie
LOVE this and all fruit..as all our family is here..will keep and make for Christmas dinner if here on time..or for New Years..then we can all share..will make a tart on poach with cinnamon apple glaze...or hibiscus and vanilla, blueberry.
Vickie
with various cheeses of course..and, white wine...thanks.