pear vanilla prosecco spritz
A juicy, ripe pear is the autumn equivalent of a juicy, ripe peach. Tell me I’m wrong.
Among fall produce, a pear is the weird high schooler everyone finds cute but only acknowledges with a passing comment or pat on the head rather than an election to homecoming court. We all give props to apples, swoon over pumpkin, and give thanks for figs. There’s even a whole festival near me devoted to kumquats. The pear? A curvaceous legend few applaud.
I toast to you, pears. I see, respect, and enjoy your every quirk and multifaceted profiles, from D’anjou to Bartlett.
A Beautiful Pear-ing
The humble pear meets vanilla in this lovely Friday imbibement. As with lots of Foul Mouth cocktails, the base is a simple syrup, this time a fusion of our favorite forgotten fall fruit, vanilla extract, and honey instead of white sugar. Honey is a nicer propeller that lifts the pear flavor off the ground and into your glass.
Give yourself a small block of time to make the pear syrup. Boil the ingredients together for five minutes, then let it sit off the heat for 10 to really meld together. You can certainly keep it steeping for longer, up to about 30 minutes if you like. Strain out the solids. The recipe makes extra, so this cocktail serves well as a pitcher drink for a gathering, or can be saved for another night’s mixology quests. Keep it refrigerated for up to a week.
To a cocktail shaker, combine an ounce and a half (more if you like sweet) of the syrup with lemon juice, St. Germain (elderflower liqueur, which has a pear undertone), and vodka. Shake with ice until cold, then pour into a nice little glass. Grab your favorite bottle of prosecco, pop the cork as quietly or violently as desired, and top the cocktail with a good splash of bubbles. Garnish with a pear slice, some rosemary, and a cinnamon stick.
If you’ve had a rather dramatic week like I have, perhaps you should sit down with a good sip. Bonus for bubbles. Turn off your phone, light a candle, cover yourself in a thick blanket, and turn on some kind of mindless television or open a book. You deserve it, man.
Tried this recipe out? Why the hell not? If you have, leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More prosecco drinks to try:
Watermelon Cucumber Prosecco Spritz
Ingredients
- 1 large pear, diced
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz St. Germain (elderflower liqueur)
- 1 oz vodka
- prosecco, to top
- pear slices, rosemary, and cinnamon sticks, to garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the diced pear, vanilla, honey, and water to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and smash the pear until it reaches a jam-like consistency. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes. Strain the solids through a fine mesh sieve and discard.
- To a cocktail shaker, add 1 1/2 oz of the pear syrup, lemon juice, St. Germain, and vodka. Fill with ice and shake until cold. Pour into a glass and top with as much prosecco as you'd like. Garnish with a pear slice, rosemary sprig, and cinnamon stick, as desired.
