Pomegranate, apple cider and rosemary spritzer

Autumn evenings call for more dinners inside, and less picnics outside. This spritzer is the perfect drink to kick off an evening with friends around the dinner table as the sun begins to set a little earlier. Freshly cut rosemary from the garden adds a subtle spiciness to the pomegranate and balances the sourness of the lime and cider.

Serves 4

Use

¼ cup (90 g/3¼ oz) honey

½ cup (125 ml/4 fl oz) water

8 rosemary sprigs (about 10–15 cm/4–6 in long)

1½ cups (225 g/8 oz) pomegranate seeds

Juice of 1 lime

6 ice cubes

660 ml (22½ fl oz) alcoholic apple cider (we prefer the dry variety)

Do

To make the rosemary syrup

1	Place the honey and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey has dissolved. Add in 4 rosemary sprigs and leave on medium heat for another 2–3 minutes.
2	Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it stand for 30–40 minutes. Once the mixture is cool, discard the rosemary.

To make the spritzer

3	Pour the pomegranate seeds into a blender or food processor and blend until the seeds have a smoothie-like consistency. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
4	Pour the strained juice and the rosemary syrup into a cocktail shaker along with the lime juice and ice cubes. Shake vigorously.
5	Strain the mixture into four cocktail glasses and top up each with apple cider. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs.

By the way, if you’re lacking in the rosemary department, but excelling in the thyme, feel free to sub in the thyme for a slightly sweeter but still earthy flavour.