Fall is here, whether we like it or not, and with that come the bolder, spiced flavors of the season. To help welcome autumn, here are several seasonally inspired cocktails by some of the area’s top mixologists and restaurants.
Ginger Carrot Coupe
Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, Clifton
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz Old Tom gin
- ½ oz Canton ginger
- 1 oz fresh orange juice
- ½ oz fresh carrot juice
- ½ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- Parsley sprig
Directions:
- Scoop ice into a pint glass.
- Add gin, Canton ginger, orange juice, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake well.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with parsley sprig.
Harper’s Fall by Strip House at Westminster Hotel, Livingston
Jono Moratis, beverage director
Ingredients:
- 3 oz I.W. Harper Kentucky bourbon
- ¾ oz Massenez green apple eau de vie
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz maple syrup
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously.
- Strain in a rocks glass over ice.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
Indian Summer by Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, Ho-Ho-Kus
Caitlyn Ritz, head bartender
Ingredients:
- 5 oz fig vodka.
- 1 oz fresh brewed Earl Grey tea, chilled.
- 5 oz tangerine juice.
- Mint for garnish.
Directions:
- Steep your favorite Earl Grey tea (the Inn uses Harney and Sons Earl Grey) in one 8 oz cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Cool in refrigerator.
- Combine all ingredients a shaker with a half cup of ice. Shake, drain ice and pour into a rocks glass filled with ice 2/3 the way up. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, and enjoy.
Thyme and a Half by Restaurant Serenade, Chatham
John Jansma, GM/Sommelier
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ oz vodka
- 1 ½ oz sparkling apple cider
- ½ oz thyme simple syrup
- Apples for garnish
For the simple syrup:
- 12 oz water
- 12 oz brown sugar
- 6 sprigs thyme
Simple syrup directions:
Combine in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove the sprigs of thyme. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Cocktail directions:
- With a melon baller, make apple balls and freeze.
- In a mixing glass, combine vodka, simple syrup and apple cider.
- Stir to combine, strain over frozen apple balls and ice.
Caramel Apple Sangria by Morris Tap & Grill, Randolph
Cocktail ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz caramel vodka
- 2 oz apple cider
- 1 oz white wine
- Splash cinnamon simple syrup
- 1 teaspoon diced apple
- 1 teaspoon diced pear
Cinnamon simple syrup ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick (or 2 for an extra cinnamony flavor)
Simple syrup directions:
Bring the water to a boil, add sugar and stir constantly until completely dissolved, add the cinnamon stick and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool and steep.
Cocktail directions:
Combine all the ingredients over ice, top with Sprite and garnish diced apples and pears.
Sour Orchid by Osteria Morini, Bernardsville
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Apple cinnamon-infused whiskey
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz ginger honey syrup
- 1 egg white
- Shaved cinnamon, for garnish
- Apple rind wheel, optional, for garnish
Directions:
- Pour the whiskey, lemon juice, syrup and egg white over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and pour into a coupe.
- Sprinkle the cocktail with shaved cinnamon and garnish with the rind, if using.
Twenty-five years is a significant chunk of time for any business to demonstrate its quality and sustainability. This is especially true in the competitive New Jersey diner business, so when the 
in this corner of Morris County, the diner underwent expansions in 2002 and 2014. As reported in an 
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What can diners expect from your fall menu?
Art Brown, who originated the Jersey Fresh program in 1984 as a way of grading and promoting Jersey-grown produce, has been LaMonaca’s farming mentor to help continually grow and expand the CSA using organic practices that keep crops flourishing each growing season. Having come from a marine science career, which included extensive hands-on research throughout the coastal areas of New Jersey, LaMonaca’s heart is fully vested in nature and the preservation of our New Jersey resources by bringing fresh local produce to the community.
Brian Dorick, 
Hundreds of hungry diners crowded 
Tropicana’s glitzy new Boardwalk façade leads to the Marketplace, where we sampled Philly favorite 
Chickadee Creek Farm, a certified organic and certified transitional organic vegetable, flower and herb farm, is located in Pennington. The farm boasts agriculturist Jess Niederer, who was honored as the state’s 
1. Melt butter. Turn off flame. Mix in flour until completely dissolved. Over medium flame, whisk in milk, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Turn flame down and cook until thick. This will take about 30 seconds. Stir constantly to prevent scorching.
New Jersey wears the crown as diner capital of the world with over 600 diners throughout the state. During the 20th century, the state also held the distinction as the diner manufacturing capital of the world—the place where companies like O’Mahony, Silk City, Kullman, Paramount, Mountain View, Master and Fodero built classic, stainless steel diners.
Iron Plow Vineyards is owned by Scott and Sara Shumway and Sara’s parents, Donald and Gilda Stanlaw. This family of educators bought a 62-acre farm in Burlington County, and in 2013 planted four acres of grapes. This year they added an additional four acres. The property has been used for farming since the late 1600s, and the winery is named after the cast iron plow, which was invented in Burlington County 200 years ago. Scott and Donald described themselves as locavores, and are focused on making small quantities of good wine using their own grapes, and other fruit from local farms.
manufacturing. Along with his wife Meera, he is bringing innovation to the tradition-bound field of viticulture. The name Sky Acres reflects the couple’s interest in aviation.
Besides owning a winery together, the three owners are all employees of Haddonfield schools. Named for Dennis’s twin daughters Grace and Willow, grapes were first planted at G & W Winery in 2011, and there are currently five acres under cultivation. Not surprisingly, the goal of the owners is not mass production or lot of events, but top quality wine. A small but charming barn serves as the wine production area and tasting room, and Dennis told me that they want to start selling their wine at local restaurants.
