the fall outdoor cocktail hour

What to do when you dream of travelling and you have to stay home?

You try to recreate the scene of the travel of course!

I recently saw this cool pic on IG of an "impromptu" fall picnic 

in the English Countryside:

(Photography: @hope_and_wander)

and it was simply lovely.

As I was sharing this with one of my girlfriends,

she dared me to recreate it our backyard!

I had to change the narrative from impromptu fall picnic during car ride

to fall cocktail in the "woods".

It required grabbing planters, pumpkins from the front porch,

and blankets from different rooms to the backyard

and set it all together....

The final ingredient was the cocktail,

 I found the perfect one: apple cider Manhattan from Inspired by charm

Originally I was concerned it was too sweet with the maple syrup,

but it was just right.

We have made it 4 or 5 times, a new favorite!

2 oz bourbon, 0.5 oz sweet vermouth, 1.5 oz apple cider, 0.5 oz maple syrup,

2 dashes of bitter (orange which I do not have) and a cherry, of course!

I quickly prepared a little appetizer,

to help absorb the alcohol...

some thinly sliced baguette with a little fresh goat cheese

and herbes de Provence, toasted in the oven...perfection!

Somebody decided that they smelled too goodto let them sit outside....

so Lou ate them all!🙈
At least we enjoyed the cocktail and the setting!
Happy day!