Best of Fall 2012: fall cocktails from Suits, Enoteca Sociale and the Harbord Room

Best of Fall 2012: fall cocktails from Suits, Enoteca Sociale and the Harbord Room

Fall picks from three hooch heros

HARVEST WALLBANGER, $18
“This is a twist on the traditional Wallbanger. I muddle fresh ginger, whole cloves and a pinch of cinnamon, then add a half-ounce of Galliano, one and a half ounces of Russian Standard vodka and two ounces of apple juice. I shake it and strain it over ice. For show, I like to bring out the crème brûlée torch at the bar to toast a star anise as a garnish, and I finish it off with freshly grated nutmeg.”
Neila MacIntyre, bartender
Suits, 325 Bay St., 416-637-5550.
MULLED CIDER, $12
“We make our own cider by puréeing fresh MacIntosh apples. We then strain the juice, simmer it with clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger, and let it mellow overnight. When we serve it, we reheat the cider over a water bath, then add an ounce of Maker’s Mark and half an ounce of Amaro Montenegro, an Italian bitter with nice orange and vanilla flavours. It smells like apple pie and warms your soul.”
Michelle Ratzlaff, assistant sommelier
Enoteca Sociale, 1288 Dundas St. W., 416-534-1200.
SPICED PEAR, $13
“This is the season for Canadian whiskies like Wiser’s Legacy, which has rich oak, apple and cinnamon aromas. I mix one and a half ounces with an equal amount of pear juice, just under an ounce of cinnamon-spiced syrup, a dash of walnut bitters and an egg white. I shake it for about a minute, until the egg emulsifies, then shake it again with ice and strain it into an old-fashioned glass. Then I garnish it with nutmeg.”
Dave Mitton, bartender
The Harbord Room, 89 Harbord St., 416-962-8989.

(Images: Emma McIntyre)