Cocktail recipe: Running through Orchards
The best way to kick off fall
It’s that time of season again: the temperature is cool and crisp, the leaves are beautiful shades red and orange, and there’s one particular flavor I can’t get enough of. No, I’m not talking about pumpkin spice (although, who can’t resist the siren call of a Starbuck’s PSL). I’m referring to St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur.
This is my favorite liqueur to celebrate autumn. Made locally at the St. George distillery in Alameda, California, the Spiced Pear Liqueur is an evolution on St. George’s pear brandy with a few twists.
For starters, the Spiced Pear Liqueur includes pear juice made from dry-farmed Bartlett Pears. Dry farming is a method of cultivating crops without irrigation in regions of limited moisture. As a result, the fruit is produced is smaller but more concentrated in flavor. St. George takes it one step further by picking only the red-skinned pears, which have a spice undertone that pairs well with Saigon cinnamon and clove, which is also added to the liqueur. The final ingredient is a touch of cane sugar and malic acid, which is used to mimic the balance of sweet and tart found naturally in pears.
The Spiced Pear Liqueur is fun to sip on its own and can add a fall twist to many cocktails including the Old Fashioned and the French 75. However, my favorite drink to make with it is called Running through Orchards and was created by Brad Fry in Long Beach, California.
The cocktail is vodka based and in addition to pear, features elderflower liqueur and Cointreau to add more fall flavors to the mix. The final garnish is freshly grated cinnamon; however, in a pinch I’ve found that sprinkling a little bit from a jar also works.
I originally discovered this cocktail on the St. George website but unfortunately, it was recently updated and they replaced a lot of recipes on their with new ones. Thankfully, I preserved this one in my notes, which I’m happy to share with you. Drink up and enjoying the falling leaves under a blanket and this drink in hand.
Running through Orchards
Created by Brad Fry, Long Beach, California
Servings: 1
1 OZ vodka
1/2 OZ St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 OZ elderflower liqueur
1/8 OZ Cointreau
3/4 OZ fresh lemon juice
1 splash simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Cinnamon garnish
Glass: coupe
Shake all ingredients well with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with grated cinnamon.
