Cocktail Recipes

Finnriver Honey Meadow Polenta Cake with Cider Honey Syrup & Cider Rhubarb Compote

Note: Make extra compote to stir into your oatmeal or yogurt, or to mix into mustard for a tangy sauce. Makes one 9-inch cake

• 1 cup polenta (I like Bob’s Red Mill Southern-Style White Corn Grits) 3⁄4 cup almond meal
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional for coating the pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups Finnriver Honey Meadow Cider, divided
• 1 cup honey, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 pound rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch slices (about 2 cups)

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, and coat the sides and parchment with olive oil.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the polenta, almond meal, baking powder and salt.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup cider, olive oil, 1⁄2 cup of the honey, and the eggs. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix to combine with a wooden spoon.

Transfer the batter to the cake pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then use the wooden pick or skewer to poke holes in the top of the cake.

For the Cider Honey Syrup:

Pour 2/3 cup cider and 1⁄4 cup honey into a small pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is syrupy and measures 1/4 cup. Pour the syrup evenly over the cake. Cut the cake into slices and serve with the Cider Rhubarb Compote.

For the Cider Rhubarb Compote:

In a small pot, bring the remaining 1⁄4 cup cider, remaining 1⁄4 cup honey and the rhubarb to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once after 5 m

Finnriver Fire Barrel Caramelized Onion & Apple Quesadilla

by Lauren Chandler

The smoky cheese and sweet apples bring out the vanilla and oak of the cider, and caramelizing the onions enhances the caramel notes. The onions will keep well in the fridge for at least a week, and they freeze well too. Use them as a base in your favorite chili recipe, in omelets, on top of pizza, or mixed in with cooked dark leafy greens. Bring them and the rest of the ingredients with you on your next camping trip for a gourmet treat.

Serves 6

For the onions:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 bottle Finnriver Fire Barrel Cider
• Salt

For the quesadillas:

• Neutral flavored oil or cooking spray
• One batch Fire Barrel caramelized onions
• 2 packed cups shredded Red Dorset cheese, or another smoky cheese (about ½ pound)\
• 6 6-inch flour tortillas
• 2 medium-sized Honeycrisp apples (or another sweet, firm, tart apple) cored and thinly sliced into half moons
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Caramelizing:

Melt the olive oil or butter in a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the edges of the onions start to turn translucent and golden, and some of their edges turn brown. Continue to cook without stirring for 1-2 minutes, until the onions start to stick to the pan. Add ¼ cup cider and stir, freeing the onions from the bottom of the pan and scraping up the fond (the sweet brown bits) and mixing it into the onions. Continue to cook, stirring once or twice in the first minute, then let cook untouched for another 2 minutes or so, until the cider evaporates and the onions stick to the pan again. Add another ¼ cup cider and repeat this process until the onions are caramelized to your liking, then add salt to taste. (I like to use the entire bottle of cider, which takes about 45 minutes.

Cooking the quesadillas:

Lightly coat a medium skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Lay a tortilla in the skillet and cook 1-2 minutes, or until it starts to puff up and become golden, then flip it over. Spread 1/3 cup cheese evenly across half of the tortilla, place the apple slices in an even layer on top of the cheese, then top with around 2 ½ teaspoons of onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, fold the tortilla in half, and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook one minute more, until evenly golden and heated all the way through. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Finnriver Pear Cake

(Short Description)

Mix:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp soda
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg

Add to dry mixture:

• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups diced or grated pears
• Mix well.

Add: 1 cup floured nuts (optional)

Cook in 9 X 14 in. pan at 350 for 45 min. (or two smaller pans for 30-35 min.)

Test the center of the cake for doneness as juiciness of pears varies.

Top with dollop of whipped cream:

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Finn River pear wine with apple brandy

Whip cream just until it holds soft peaks.

Garnish with a dash of freshly ground nutmeg

Cider Baking Powder Biscuits

Adapted from the Betty Crocker recipe by Hard Cider International

Light, tangy, buttery baking powder biscuits.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup hard cider
• 1/2 cup milk (cow, soy, rice etc.)

Directions:

Heat oven to 450F.

In large bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt.

Cut in butter with pastry blender or using two knives that you pull from opposite directions towards each other. The mixture should look like it is made up of tiny white peas.

Add the cider and milk—the dough will be a little sticky.

On a floured surface, gently fold the dough five times over itself. This will help give layers to the biscuits. But don’t knead too much, or the biscuits will become stiff and chewy.

Roll the dough out so it is about 1/2 an inch in height.

Punch out circular biscuits with a floured glass (or cookie cutter). Gently fold the extra dough back together to continue to cut more biscuits from the dough until all the dough is used.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve them warm for best effect.

Shredded Cider Chicken

Courtesy of Full Throttle Bottles

(Short Description)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups cider
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 3 quick turns of fresh ground pepper
• 4.75 grams of dry/condensed chicken bouillon, or about one cube
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 chicken breasts

Directions:

Combine cider, water, crushed garlic cloves, fresh ground pepper, chicken bouillon, and salt in a medium to small saucepan.

Bring it to a boil.

Add chicken breast (it helps to either cut it in fillets first or in chunks).

Simmer the chicken for about an hour or until the meat starts shredding away from itself.

Pair the chicken with other dishes or just eat it as is.

Don't throw away the broth. You can use the stock in other dishes, or use it as a base for a chicken noodle soup!

Sparkling Apple Pie

• Apple Pie
• Sparkling Cider

Drink cider while making pie!