Vanilla-Bourbon, Cranberry, Pecan Orgeat, Maple Syrup

Thanksgiving. Turkey time. A day spent with friends and family, stuffing ourselves into food comas. What are we thankful for? Bourbon whiskey, amari, and mezcal, of course!

Berry Nutty Maple Whiskey Sour2 oz Vanilla-infused bourbon.75 oz Cranberry juice.5 oz Maple syrup.5 oz Pecan orgeatDash of angostura bittersShake over ice, double-strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a pecan praline.

For today's drink, we wanted to mix something using fresh cranberry juice. Let me emphasize the "fresh" part. Remember to keep it craft and always use real, freshly-juiced cranberries. None of that ocean spray 20% cranberry nonsense. Fresh cranberry juice is a splendid cocktail ingredient because it's an excellent source of acidity, and using it is a great way to add sourness to a drink without relying on citrus juice.To make pecan orgeat, we used the Serious Eats orgeat recipe, except that we used pecans instead of almonds. The sweetness of the vanilla-infused bourbon and maple syrup balance the sourness from the cranberry juice. The pecan orgeat adds a smooth, sweet, mild, buttery nuttiness, and tastes great with maple syrup. Honestly, when you make a drink using ingredients like these, its deliciousness is self-evident.And now, to enjoy while perhaps sipping on a cocktail and nibbling on the last of grandma's jell-o mold, I leave you with some lame Thanksgiving-inspired jokes:

What did the turkey say to the computer?"Google, google!"What kind of music did the pilgrims listen to?Plymouth Rock.What do you call an unhappy cranberry?A blueberry!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.