Sips & Synopsis - This Weeks Makings

• Pause for the In-Between

• Trivia Question

• Drink of the Week - The Orchard Boulevardier

• The Calm Before the Feast

• Bonus Cocktails

• Mocktail Moment - Spiced Apple Spritz

🍂 Let’s pause to the in-between moments…

Thanksgiving is on the horizon, and the group chats are heating up. But this week? It’s the quiet before the storm. We’re leaning into simple, crowd-pleasing cocktails that help you pause, unwind, and raise a glass to the in-between moments. Whether you’re hosting or hiding, these recipes are low-stress, high-reward.

• Drink of the Week: The Orchard Boulevardier

• 2 Bonus cocktails that batch beautifully

• 1 crisp, non-alcoholic mocktail

• Tips for hosting without losing your cool

• Trivia + a quote to keep the spirits high

Trivia Question❓

What American city claims to have hosted the first official Thanksgiving celebration?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

🍸 Drink of the Week: The Orchard Boulevardier

A bold, slightly sweet twist on a classic, adding apple brandy and cinnamon for a fall-forward flair.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz bourbon

• 1 oz sweet vermouth

• 0.75 oz apple brandy

• 0.25 oz Campari

• Dash of cinnamon or cinnamon bitters

• Garnish: Orange peel or apple slice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.

2. Stir until chilled and strain into a rocks glass over a large cube.

3. Garnish with an orange peel or apple slice for extra aroma.

Warm, spiced, and spirit-forward—perfect for sweater weather.

The Calm Before the Feast

The week before Thanksgiving is its own little season, a quiet corner of fall where the pressure hasn’t hit yet, but the cozy vibes are fully on. It’s the time to enjoy your space, your favorite mug, and maybe your favorite people… before the turkey chaos rolls in.

This week’s drinks are built for that moment: flavorful enough to feel festive, but easy enough to whip up while wearing slippers.

Want to host without the fuss? Start with a few key tools:

🛍️ Sturdy Glass Pitcher – Great for batching those fizz cocktails

🧊 Silicone Ice Ball Molds – Because beautiful ice = instant elegance

🥃 Boulevardier-Ready Rocks Glasses – Simple, sturdy, and photogenic

This week, treat yourself like the guest of honor…before the house fills up.

Bonus Cocktails

Both of these drinks can be easily batched. Just multiple the servings by as many drinks as you want to pre-make. Include everything but the club soda or sparkling water. I like to pre-make and store in a large mason jar and keep in the fridge. I also prepare the garnishes ahead of time and have them ready to go on the counter top. As soon as guests arrive I pull out the pre-batched cocktails and serve them with easy.

Cranberry Gin Fizz

• 1.5 oz gin

• 1 oz cranberry juice

• 0.5 oz simple syrup

• Top with club soda

• Garnish: Cranberries & rosemary sprig

  Measure out 3 ounces of the pre-mixed cocktail into a glass filled with ice, top with club soda, garnish and serve.

Thyme & Pear Collins

• 1.5 oz vodka

• 1 oz pear nectar

• 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

• 0.5 oz thyme simple syrup

• Top with sparkling water

• Garnish: thyme sprig + lemon wheel

  Measure out 3.5 ounces of the pre-mixed cocktail into a glass filled with ice, top with sparkling water, garnish and serve.

Mocktail Moment: Spiced Apple Spritz

A crisp, refreshing non-alcoholic option with seasonal sparkle.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz spiced apple cider

• 1 oz lemon juice

• 0.5 oz maple syrup

• Top with sparkling water

• Garnish: Apple fan + cinnamon stick

Directions:

Shake cider, lemon, and syrup over ice, strain into a tall glass, top with sparkling water, and garnish.