apple season is raging and the produce stores are packed to the gills with ripe, delicious fruit.

it’s not often these days that i stumble upon a new fruit or vegetable, but i couldn’t help myself from picking up some of these pink pearl apples when i saw them at my local store. they are GORGEOUS. and equally tasty. like a mild, but just as delicious honey crisp apple.

i knew i had to use them for a recipe, but i wanted to get out of the regular apple box. i’m all pied out and i have had enough whiskey lately to last me for a while. so instead, i mixed these stunning apples with some unexpected friends to make a refreshing cocktail that still has a holiday feel.

now, i know that pink pearl apples are not popping up in everyone's produce store, so if you aren’t lucky enough to find some, you can easily sub a pink lady or honey crisp apple in this recipe. and with the holidays in mind, i realize you may need to make more than one cocktail and muddling can be a little tiresome if you are making more than one cocktail. if you need to make a large batch, you could combine the rosemary, apples and vodka in a food processor and then strain the contents to get the tasty infused vodka apple juice if need be.

spiced apple smash

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 2 minutes

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 1 oz lemon juice. 3 tbs chopped pink pearl apples (you can sub pink lady or honey crisp) + 1 wedge for garnish. 10 rosemary leaves + a sprig of rosemary for garnish. a couple of pinches of cinnamon. 4 oz club soda. 1 cup of ice. muddler. shaker.

start by combining the rosemary leaves, vodka and apples in the base of your shaker. use the muddler to smash the apples into little bits, breaking up the rosemary as you go.

once the apples are really mashed, add in the lemon juice, cinnamon and a couple of ice cubes to chill everything. cover your shaker and shake well till everything is well combined.

fill your serving glass with the remaining ice. strain the contents of your shaker into your serving glass.

top off with club soda. garnish with rosemary sprig & wedge of apple.

serve and enjoy.

xo, a

spiced apple smash

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 2 minutes

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 1 oz lemon juice. 3 tbs chopped pink pearl apples (you can sub pink lady or honey crisp) + 1 wedge for garnish. 10 rosemary leaves + a sprig of rosemary for garnish. a couple of pinches of cinnamon. 4 oz club soda. 1 cup of ice. muddler. shaker.

start by combining the rosemary leaves, vodka and apples in the base of your shaker. use the muddler to smash the apples into little bits, breaking up the rosemary as you go. once the apples are really mashed, add in the lemon juice, cinnamon and a couple of ice cubes to chill everything. cover your shaker and shake well till everything is well combined. fill your serving glass with the remaining ice. strain the contents of your shaker into your serving glass. top off with club soda. garnish with rosemary sprig & wedge of apple. serve and enjoy.

last week i cooked & baked for a dinner event at the shop in laguna beach. it was an incredibly inspiring evening of food, and female business owners. the night culminated in an honest and moving talk by owner of mowellens, a CBD oil & wellness company.

for many years, i have used CBD products to sooth my anxieties and reduce inflammation & pain in my body. after a youth full of antibiotics, topical steroids, allergy and anxiety meds, i took my health back. even though it looks like i eat nothing but cake and drink nothing but vodka, it couldn’t be FURTHER from the truth. i believe in EVERYTHING IN MODERATION including treats and drinks. but for the most part, i eat really clean and have one cocktail a week. on friyay.

if CBD or THC aren’t for you, i hear you. if you freaking love them, i hear you. if you are nervous or scared to try, i hear you. do your research, listen to your heart and body, and go with your gut.

with all that being said, i wanted to highlight a CBD product i LOVE.

a spin client of mine turned me on to these delicious, light sprig sodas that come with a dose of CBD or THC oil. lately, when i’m wound up from a crazy week of work, i’ll make my friyay vodka soda a little extra special with a sprig. if you can’t get your hands on one of their scrumptious sodas, you could drop in a few drops of mowellens fabulous product (both have been tested by this little lady).

sage + sprig vodka soda

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 1 minute

active time: 2 minutes

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 1 sprig soda (or as much as you can fit in your serving glass). 5 medium sage leaves, plus a few leaves for garnish. 1 cup ice. muddler. shaker.

start by filling your serving glass with ice and reserve 1 ice cube for your shaker. fill your shaker with the extra ice cube and the vodka. smash and tear your sage leaves, and add them to the vodka.

use your muddler to really smash up the sage leaves into the vodka so it infuses. about 1 minute.

use the shaker to strain your vodka as you pour it over your ice.

fill the glass with sprig soda.

garnish with sage leaves and serve.

xo, a

sage + sprig vodka soda

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 1 minute

active time: 2 minutes

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 1 sprig soda (or as much as you can fit in your serving glass). 5 medium sage leaves, plus a few leaves for garnish. 1 cup ice. muddler. shaker.

start by filling your serving glass with ice and reserve 1 ice cube for your shaker. fill your shaker with the extra ice cube and the vodka. smash and tear your sage leaves, and add them to the vodka. use your muddler to really smash up the sage leaves into the vodka so it infuses. about 1 minute. use the shaker to strain your vodka as you pour it over your ice. fill the glass with sprig soda. garnish with sage leaves and serve.