[1] Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Coffee Cake: pouring on the glaze (photos #1 and #2 © Baran Bakery.)

[2] The inside is studded with pecans.

[3] Buy the freshest whole pecans and chop them (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[4] Top quality dark brown sugar (photos #4 and #9 © C & H Sugar).

[5] Cinnamon, ground from cinnamon sticks (photo #9—photos #5 and #6 © McCormick).

[6] You’ll get much better flavor by grating a nut rather than purchasing ground nutmeg.

[7] Whole and ground cloves. For baking, you need ground cloves (photo © Silk Road Spices).

[8] Pumpkin puree. Be sure to purchase purée and not pumpkin pie filling. Here’s a review of 7 brands (photo © The Kitchn).

[9] Turn powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste into the glaze.

[10] The four basic types of cinnamon sticks, from top to bottom: Vietnamese/Saigon, Ceylon, Indonesian/Korintje, Chinese (photo © Alina Kholopova | Alamy).

[11] Cassia cinnamon (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).

[12] Vietnamese (Saigon) cinnamon sticks (photo © King Arthur Baking).

On weekends, we make time to test a new baking recipe. We call it our “weekend baking project,” and friends who are out and about on Sundays know they can stop by for a slice.

This weekend we made a delicious Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Coffee Cake with the recipe below (photos #1 and #2).

The recipe was developed by Bernice Baran of Baran Bakery and sent to us by C&H Sugar. The recipe combines canned pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans to create a rich, seasonal coffee cake that will have everyone asking for seconds.

If you want to turn it into a dessert, make it à la mode with vanilla ice cream and caramel or butterscotch sauce (see the difference between caramel and butterscotch in the footnote* below*).

Check out more wonderful recipes at BaranBakery.com, and enjoy Bernice’s beautiful food photography.

> The history of coffee cake.

> The history of cake.

> The history of cinnamon is below.

> The history of pumpkins.

> The different types of cake: a glossary.

> The different types of sugar: a glossary.
 
 
RECIPE: CINNAMON SWIRL PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE

Prep time is 10 minutes, and cook time is 45-50 minutes.
 
Ingredients For A 10-Inch Cake

For The Cinnamon Swirl

 
For The Pumpkin Cake

 
For The Glaze

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 10-inch springform pan.

2. COMBINE all the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl in a medium bowl and set them aside. In another medium bowl…

3. WHISK together the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices—and set them aside. In a large bowl…

4. WHISK together the eggs, dark brown sugar, oil, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth.

5. ADD the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk just until the last streak of flour is combined.

6. POUR half of the batter into the prepared pan, top with half of the cinnamon swirl filling, repeat with the rest of the batter, and top with the second half of the streusel.

7. BAKE the coffee cake for about 40-50 minutes, until it springs back when you press on it.

8. COOL the cake in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing. While the cake is cooling…

9. COMBINE all the ingredients for the glaze and mix until smooth. When the cake is finished cooling, pour the glaze over the cake and serve.

Any leftovers can be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic. (Additionally, we put the wrapped plastic cake or slices into a freezer bag.)
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CINNAMON

Cinnamon was one of the earliest spices to be traded globally (and remember, only the wealthy could afford imported spices).

Initially, much of the world’s cinnamon came from China, an established trading partner.

 
What Exactly Is Cinnamon?

Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of various evergreen tree species belonging to the genus Cinnamomum. That botanical name derives from the Hebraic and Arabic word “amomon,” meaning “fragrant spice plant.”

There are different varieties of culinary cinnamon, and except for Ceylon cinnamon, they are referred to as cassia (here’s the difference).

Botanically, cinnamon is a member of the Lauraceae (laurel) family (which also includes avocados and bay leaves). There are more than 250 plant species in the Cinnamomum verum genus, with only four important as culinary cinnamon:

 
How Cinnamon Is Processed

At harvest, the outer bark of the tree is scraped off and then the inner bark is stripped and laid in the sun to dry.

The bark then curls into cylindrical rolls or “quills” (except for Chinese cinnamon), after which it is cut into sticks.

 
 
When you purchase cinnamon, the jar may or may not state the origin. But if you’re buying sticks, you can now eyeball them and take a guess!

________________
 
 
*The difference between the butterscotch and caramel: Caramel is made with granulated sugar while butterscotch is made with brown sugar. Table sugar (white sugar) is heated and melted until it’s browned. It can be thinned with water, cream, or milk. As its name indicates, butterscotch is made with butter (but no Scotch!). Brown sugar and butter are melted together and cooked, then cream is added. A pinch of salt is added to both caramel and butterscotch. While there is no definitive etymology of the the “scotch” portion of the word, one theory is that “scotch” is a corruption of “scorch,” referring to the melting of the sugar and butter.

†Vanilla bean paste is valuable in a glaze or whenever you don’t want to water down a preparation by using vanilla extract. However, you can substitute an equal amount of vanilla extract or vanilla powder.

The first week in October marks the celebration of National Curry Week, a holiday begun in the U.K. 25 years ago. It was founded by a prominent journalist who had fallen in love with curry and wanted to create awareness of the burgeoning Indian restaurant industry, while also raising funds for charity [source].

Americans may not realize that curry is considered by some to be the “new” national dish of Britain*.

Number one on the list for many years has been roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, followed closely by fish and chips. Will they be ousted?

The British Raj—the ruxle of the British Crown in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947—led to the introduction of Indian cuisine to Britain. Chicken tikka masala and curry became popular dishes.

According to the organizers of National Curry Week, millions of plates of curries are consumed every week in the U.K.
 
> The history of rotini (fusilli) is below.

> The history of pasta.
 
 
WHY YELLOW PEAS?

Of course, you can use conventional wheat pasta in the recipe below. But here’s why you might want to try a box of ZENB yellow pea pasta, made in just about any shape you require.

Yellow pea pasta is gluten-free and diabetic-friendly; equally important, it’s an excellent mimic of wheat pasta. And it helps to promote digestive health.

Peas are one of the best sources of resistant starch, a form of starch that behaves like fermentable fiber, feeding beneficial bacteria.

They also stimulate the production of the short-chain fatty acids that help protect against certain cancers, mitigate inflammation, and enhance satiety [source].

Yes, yellow pea pasta helps to promote digestive health (a key aspect of immunity), but it’s also delicious.

The brand is gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and OU Kosher. The only ingredient is yellow peas (photo #5).
 
 
RECIPE: GREEN COCONUT CURRY PRIMAVERA WITH ROTINI (FUSILLI)

This fusion dish combines pasta with vegetable curry—and it’s not just any pasta. It uses yellow pea pasta, which is gluten-free and more nutritious than conventional wheat pasta. The recipe is also vegan.

Yellow pea pasta is very tasty, and we encourage you to try it.

The recipe was created by a leader in yellow pea pasta, GENB.

However, you can use conventional wheat pasta if you like.

The pasta is mixed with vegetables in a yummy curry sauce and is ready in less than 30 minutes.

The dish is also low in calories and low in fat. Says ZENB, “It will satisfy your curry and pasta cravings all in one dish!”

In addition to the vegetables below (zucchini and bell pepper), other vegetables work well in this dish, including broccoli florets, carrots (sliced), cherry tomatoes, and sugar snap peas.

You can use as many veggies as you like (we used five).

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 12 minutes.

> See the difference between rotini and fusilli below.
 
Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the pasta, water, and salt in a large skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. STIR in coconut milk, curry paste, and salt. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the pasta is cooked through.

3. ADD the zucchini and peppers; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender yet still crisp.

4. GARNISH with fresh herbs and chile slices, and lime wedge on the side.
 
 
ROTINI VS. FUSILLI

Rotini are short (two inches long), corkscrew-like shaped pasta. In Italy—actually, everywhere except the U.S. and Canada—they are called fusilli.

Barilla sells the same product as rotini in the U.S. and fusilli in the U.K.

It appears that the original corkscrew pasta, fusilli, was renamed rotini in North America. As to why, we were unable to find an answer.

According to someone who has researched the subject if you ordered rotini in Italy and the rest of the world, no one would know what that was. Here’s more about it.

Corkscrew pasta shapes are particularly popular with children but are also a great shape to catch sauces in the twists.

Rotini work with most sauces, and in in pasta salads and baked pasta dishes.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF FUSILLI

The corkscrew shape was invented in the Italian region of Campania, likely in Naples.

Before industrial production capabilities, fusilli were made by wrapping fresh spaghetti around a thin rod or thick wire to dry.

In fact, the word fusillo is from the Neapolitan dialect and refers to a rod that’s similar to a spindle, made by the blacksmith.

Later, according to Italia Regina, pasta makers also used knitting needles and the spokes as disused umbrellas.

The name of the shape derives from fuso†, a spindle or a thin pin on which something turns [source]. Fusilli means “little spindles.”

Modern, industrial production of fusilli began in 1924.

Two Italian emigrants in New York, Guido and Aurelio Tanzi, created a machine that produced quality fusilli efficiently. They have become one of the most popular cuts of pasta.

Here’s more about the history of fusilli.

In addition to conventional fusilli, there are:

 
Their name derives from the Italian word “fuso” or spindle. Fusilli means “little spindles.” This corkscrew pasta is famous for its’ twisty shape.

As with many short cuts of pasta, the shapes were designed to catch and hold as much sauce as possible.

[1] Rotini (a.k.a. fusilli) in curry sauce with string beans, sugar snap peas, zucchini, and a garnish of sliced jalapeños (photos #1 and #4 © ZENB).

[2] Rotini/fusilli are a great shape for pasta salad. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Baker Chick).

[3] Multicolor fusilli in plain, spinach, and tomato (photo © Towfiqu Barbhuiya | Pexels).

[4] ZENB makes yellow pea pasta in all the major shapes. Here are three of them.

[5] Yellow peas used to make the pasta (photo © Just Egg).

[6] Fusilli Napoletani are long corkscrews (photos #6 and #7 © Giusto Sapore).

[7] Fusilli col Buco have a hole running down the interior of the center, like bucatini‡‡. Buco means hole in Italian.

[8] For an even quicker curry fusilli, mix curry powder in a small bowl with just enough water to make it into a thick gravy. You can add to it with sauteed garlic and onion, and add other veggies as you like (photo © Hannah Kaminsky ! Bittersweet Blog).

*The national dish of Ireland is Irish Stew, a thick, hearty dish of mutton, potatoes, and onions. The national dish of Scotland is haggis, a sheep’s stomach stuffed with offal, suet, onions, and oatmeal into a loose sausage. The national dish of Wales is cawl, a stew made from bacon, lamb or beef, cabbage, and leeks [source]. As an aside, no particular food has been designated the national dish of the U.S., possibly because there are simply too many regional foods to choose from. If we had to pick, it would be the burger and fries—specifically, the cheeseburger, which accounts for about 70% of burger sales.

†Note that there are numerous dialects spoken in different areas of Italy, and they are not typically noted in Italian-English dictionaries.

‡Chicken tikka masala is a dish created in the U.K. by British cooks of South Asian origin. Marinated chicken chunks are cooked in a spicy, creamy, bright orange or reddish sauce, the result of food coloring. The coloring—ratan jot, the root of Alkanna tinctoria—is a natural red dye that has no flavor and is used just for visual effect. It has been traditionally used as a food coloring in Indian recipes such as Kashmiri Rogan Josh and Tandoori Chicken.

‡‡Bucatini, also known as perciatelli, are a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. The cut is common throughout Lazio, the region where Rome is located.
 
 

[1] Start the day with a bowl of labneh, fruit, and granola (photos #1 through #7 © Yaza Labneh).

[2] Spread labneh on your bagel. Here, it’s layered with sliced mini cucumbers and pitted olives.

[3] Blend labneh and olive oil for a creamy salad dressing.

[4] For a snack, top labneh with chopped cucumbers, onions, olives, and tomatoes, and serve with pita or pita chips.

[5] The three flavors of Yaza Labneh.

[6] Crudités with Spicy Chili Yaza Labneh dip.

[7] A vegan sandwich of Spicy Chili labneh, beets, walnuts, and arugula.

[8] These Jewel Box Labneh Balls are a treat for the eyes and palate. Here’s the recipe (photo © A View From Great Island).

The Lebanese dip and spread labneh is made by straining Greek yogurt, an already strained yogurt, removing even more liquid. It’s doubly strained yogurt and a thick, creamy base for a spread or dip. It’s almost like a softer cream cheese, without the carrageenan or carob bean gum used to enable the block to be sliced.

In the U.S. it is sometimes referred to as as a “yogurt cheese.” While there are fresh cheeses that look like labneh (fromage frais* is the best example), here’s the difference between yogurt and cheese:

 
Not only is labneh delicious, but it is quite healthy: high in calcium, protein, and probiotics.

Alternate spellings are labaneh, lebnah, labne, or labni, among other spellings. The word is transliterated from Arabic. Laban is the Arabic word for yogurt.

Pronunciation differs, too (see the footnote‡).
 
> The history of yogurt.

> The different types of yogurt: a glossary.

> The history of labneh is below.

> So is a recipe to make labneh at home from Greek yogurt.
 
 
YAZA LABNEH, OUR TOP PICK OF THE WEEK

Our Top Pick Of The Week is Yaza Labneh, a new brand. It’s made in the Catskills with cow’s milk from New York State dairy farms.

And, it’s made in three wonderful flavors: Plain, Spicy Chili, and Za’atar & Olive Oil. The latter two are currently the only flavored labneh brands in the U.S.

You’ll see za’atar mentioned several times in this article. It’s a staple spice blend of the Middle East, combining sesame seeds (often toasted) and sumac, with dried herbs such as oregano or marjoram and thyme, plus toasted spices like coriander and cumin. Here’s more about it.

All three flavors are great on bagels, toast, or as dips.

Yaza† labneh is simply delightful and has become a major part of our dairy consumption.

 
 
GET YOUR YAZA LABNEH

The brand plans to be a staple in every American home. Traditionally, labneh has been sold in ethnic/specialty stores but it is currently sold in 17 states** with the aim to be in every state.

As of this writing, Yaza is sold in 17 states: CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, and WI. The brand is currently in discussion with upscale and mass retailers nationwide.

> Here’s a store locator.
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEBANESE & TURKISH LABNEH

There are two types of labneh, Lebanese labneh and Turkish labneh. They are very different.

 
 
HOW TO ENJOY LABNEH

Labneh is tangier and creamier than yogurt, and it’s meant to be eaten with savory ingredients. That hasn’t stopped American cooks from turning it into cheesecake, desserts with berries, flan, and even whipped cream.

But let’s start with classic uses in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries:

 
To port it over to the typical American diet, it can be quite versatile:

 
 
THE HISTORY OF LABNEH

The exact origin of yogurt is uncertain, but it is thought to have appeared in Mesopotamia around 5000 B.C.E.

Cheeses made from strained yogurt have been eaten for thousands of years in the Levant (a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of West Asia that comprises modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and a small part of southern Turkey—see image #9, below).

Nomadic Bedouin tribes, who inhabited the Syrian Desert since at least 6000 B.C.E., used labneh as an important source of protein and even had a dry version to carry while traveling (think of modern yogurt powder, that can be reconstituted with water).

The Armenians are widely credited with introducing labneh throughout much of the Middle East many centuries ago.

The popularity of labneh grew quickly and before long every culture throughout the Middle East and beyond had developed its own unique version. The main differences between varieties are:

 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE LABNEH

Labneh is extremely easy to make, and in Lebanon, almost every family has their own special family recipe and technique. They typically make it from homemade raw milk yogurt, but you can use store-bought Greek yogurt.

1. SPRINKLE Greek yogurt with a bit of salt.

2. LINE a colander with cheesecloth, set it over a large bowl, and add the yogurt. Allow it to strain in the refrigerator or a cool room for 24 hours.

That’s it! Your labneh is ready to eat and will keep, in a tightly covered container, for up to two weeks in the fridge.

But you can also customize the flavor:

3. MIX IN your favorite herbs, such as fresh or dried chiles, chives, dill, garlic, or parsley.

We also like to add sliced scallions or blend in a bit of tomato paste.

Finally, can also form it into balls and preserve it in olive oil, where it will keep for months. Here’s how.

*Fromage frais is a light, fresh cheese that originated in France. It looks like Greek yogurt, but it’s technically a cheese. It has a mild, slightly tangy flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. It is often used as a spread or dip, although it can also be used in recipes to substitute for cottage cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, or sour cream. Frûche (pronounced froosh) is another fresh French cheese that has a mild flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. It’s like fromage frais but has a slightly higher fat content and thus is richer.

**In the Northeast, check Balducci’s, Caraluzzi’s Markets, D’Agostino, Gristedes, King’s Food Markets, Morton Williams, Union Market, and other independent retailers and specialty stores across the nation.

†The brand name, Yaza, is a mashup of taza, meaning fresh in Arabic; meza, the Arabic term for small plates/appetizers; and yogurt, as labneh is strained yogurt. The swirl in our logo mimics how labneh is traditionally presented in a bowl or plate as a dip. Clever!

‡The pronunciation differs per country. In Lebanon, it is pronounced LAB-NEH. You may hear LAB-NAH, LOB-NEH, LEB-NAY or other pronunciations across various countries and regions.
 
 

October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month. Make your popcorn flavor of the month Old Fashioned Bourbon Maple Popcorn with Pecans.

Accented with warming flavors of bourbon, orange, and bitters, this maple-glazed popcorn recipe is a fun, cocktail-inspired snack perfect for sharing.

Serve it with cocktails, or grab a bowl for movie night.

> Check out the “matching” Maple Old Fashioned recipe below.

> See more popcorn recipes, both every day and seasonal, including Halloween and the holidays.

> The history of popcorn.

> The history of Bourbon.

> The history of maple syrup.
 
 
RECIPE: MAPLE PECAN POPCORN

You can substitute rye or other whiskey for the Bourbon. For a “mocktail” popcorn, substitute non-alcoholic bourbon.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the popcorn and pecans in a large bowl.

2. COMBINE the maple syrup, bourbon, and butter in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook, swirling the pan for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens to corn syrup consistency.

3. STIR in the orange zest and bitters.

4. DRIZZLE the maple syrup mixture over the popcorn; toss to evenly coat. Cool completely and serve.
 
 
RECIPE: MAPLE BOURBON OLD FASHIONED
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the first three ingredients in a mixing glass and stir to combine.

2. POUR into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with orange peel and cherry. The garnishes can be skewered on a cocktail pick.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Maple pecan popcorn (photo © The Popcorn Board).

[2] Maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness like kettle corn (photo © Nadine Primeau | Unsplash).

October is National Applejack Month, but we can’t remember the last decade in which we had some. We’ll remedy that today with an applejack cocktail, the Jack Rose (photo #1), recipe below. You can find more applejack recipes online.

Applejack is a type of brandy produced from apples.

The U.S. government standards accord that applejack and apple brandy are the same thing.

But applejack is different from the most famous apple brandy, Calvados from the Normandy region of France, to which it is often compared.

The difference: Calvados is made from cider apples, whereas applejack is made from eating apples. Distillers can use:

 
Here’s more about the apple varieties used to make applejack.

Applejack has been associated with four presidents of the United States:

 
Applejack is having a renaissance, with craft distillers making their marks. You can see some of them in photos #6, #7, #8, and #9.

But the first brand sold in America was Laird’s. The history follows.

Craft applejack isn’t cheap—typically $40 or more per bottle—but it’s worth it. Do avoid the cheaper varieties made with bright-red artificial color and laden with artificial ingredients. Good grenadine—not the cheaper stuff—is essential to making good applejack.
 
 
> What is hard cider?

> Apple cider history.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF APPLEJACK, AMERICA’S FIRST SPIRIT

Most people might thank that Bourbon was America’s first spirit, but applejack came first. Bourbon (1789), corn whiskey (moonshine) sometime in the mid-1700s*, and Tennessee whiskey (1825) came after.

Popular in colonial times, applejack was often made at home until it began to be sold commercially.

Applejack was once the nation’s most popular drink. America’s earliest cocktail may well have been the apple toddy (photo #10), which is applejack blended with boiling water and demerara sugar syrup [source]. Here’s a recipe, that also includes some sherry.

It slipped from favor in the 19th and 20th centuries as other spirits grew in popularity—Bourbon and rum in the 19th century and gin, tequila, vodka and whiskey in the 20th.

But at the beginning, in 1698, Alexander Laird, a County Fife Scotsman, emigrated from Scotland to America with his sons Thomas and William. William settled in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

William probably was making scotch back in the old country, but here he turned his skills to using the abundant apples of the New World [source].

Apple brandy was first produced in colonial New Jersey in 1698 by William Laird, a Scots American who may have been a distiller in his Scottish homeland. Now run by the eighth generation of Lairds, until the 2000s it was the country’s only remaining producer of applejack, and continues to dominate applejack production.

At the time the Laird family began to produce applejack, it was commonly produced at home from cider made after the apple harvest. It was consumed at home and shared with neighbors.

Back then, Applejack was also imbibed in an unaged form dubbed Jersey Lightning [source].
 
 
The First Licensed Applejack Distillery

The first commercial sales of Laird applejack was recorded in the family ledger in 1780.

That year, after the war, Robert Laird incorporated Laird’s Distillery as the new nation’s first licensed commercial distillery [source].

However, perhaps because applejack is much less popular than other spirits, it is left off the list of the oldest licensed distilleries in America, much less the first!
 
In 1920, with the beginning of the Prohibition era, Laird’s was forced to ended the production of liquor and pivoted to produce apple juice.

But in 1931, John Evans Laird received permission to produce apple brandy for “medicinal purposes” and stockpiled bottles applejack until the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Then, the company was able to hit the deck running.

Before 1968, applejack was synonymous with apple brandy. It was only when consumer preferences started moving towards lighter products like vodka and gin that applejack’s distinct identity took shape.

The Lairds worked with the government to establish a new federal standard for blended apple brandy, and as a result, applejack is now defined as a blend of at least 20% apple distillate with neutral grain spirit that must be aged at least two years in oak [source].

In 1972 the Laird family launched the Blended Applejack spirit category, to meet meet consumer demand for lighter, lower proof spirits. Laird’s Applejack is now made from a blend of apple brandy (35%) and neutral grain spirits (65%).

Modern applejack has a mellower flavor than original applejack. Laird’s is still the go-to brand, but today there are several craft distilleries making applejack.

In the 2010s, a number of smaller craft distilleries began to produce applejack in colder climes: in Michigan (Coppercraft—photo #6), New Hampshire (Old Hampshire—photo #9), New York’s Hudson Valley (Cornelius——photo #7), and Pennsylvania (Eight Oaks—photo #8), among others.

The name applejack derives from the traditional method of producing the drink, called jacking. It’s the process of freezing fermented cider and then removing the ice, increasing the alcohol content. See the next section to see how it was made.
 
 
JACKING: HOW APPLEJACK WAS MADE

Applejack was traditionally produced from the hard cider that was the everyday drink for most Americans in the 18th century. Naturally fermented and low in alcohol, hard cider was safer than well water, cheaper than beer, and easy to make at home.

Jacking was a low-tech method where spirits were distilled not by the usual method of heating, but by freezing.

Any household with a supply of hard cider and cold weather could make applejack via freeze distillation.

Cider produced from the fall harvest was left outside during the winter. Periodically the frozen chunks of ice which had formed were removed, thus concentrating the unfrozen alcohol in the remaining liquid.

An alternative method involved placing a cask of hard cider in the snow, allowing ice to form on the inside of the cask as the contents began to freeze. Then, the cask was tapped to pour off the still-liquid portion of the contents.

With each freeze, the water in the cider crystallized into slushy ice. Each time the ice was skimmed off, and the concentration of alcohol grew, until what is left in the barrel reached about 40 proof: the clear spirit that is applejack [source].

The alcoholic content rose from the fermented cider, at less than 10%, to 25% to 40% in the concentrated alcohol of applejack.

Because freeze distillation was a low-cost method of production compared to evaporative distillation (which required a still and the burning of firewood to create heat for evaporation), hard cider and applejack were historically easier to produce—although more expensive than grain alcohol [source].

Modern commercially produced applejack is not produced by jacking but rather by blending two distilled spirits: apple brandy and neutral grain spirit.
 
 
RECIPE #1: JACK ROSE COCKTAIL

Perhaps the most famous applejack cocktail is the Jack Rose cocktail. It was created around the turn of the 20th century, and named for its rosy color (from the grenadine).

Its origin is uncertain, but researchers peg it to either New York or New Jersey, likely made with Laird’s Applejack, made in New Jersey at the oldest licensed distillery in the U.S., established in 1698.

The cocktail quickly found fans who enjoyed it until the advent of Prohibition.

It was a favorite cocktail of John Steinbeck and was mentioned by Ernest Hemingway in “The Sun Also Rises.” (1926).

It remained popular beyond 1948, when it was featured as one of six basic drinks to know in David Embury’s 1948 book “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks” [source].
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the applejack, lemon juice and grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled, 15 to 20 seconds.

2. STRAIN into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.
 
 
RECIPE #2: THE WIDOW’S KISS

If you happen to have yellow Chartreuse and Benedictine, you can try this cocktail.

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. SHAKE all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
 
 
RECIPE #3: RECIPE #3: JUMPING JACK

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. SHAKE all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

[1] The Jack Rose cocktail gets its pink color from grenadine. The recipe is below (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[2] For the Jack Rose cocktail, grenadine. Here’s an easy recipe to make your own (photo © Sonoma Syrup Co.).

[3] For the Jack Rose cocktail, fresh lemon juice—and a lemon twist as garnish (photo © Deva Williamson | Unsplash).

[4] The original applejack brand: Laird’s (photo © Laird And Company).

[5] Pink Lady, one of the newer apple varieties used to make applejack (photo © Good Eggs).

[6] Coppercraft Applejack is made in Michigan (photo © Coppercraft Distillery).

[7] Cornelius applejack is made in the Hudson Valley of New York State by Harvest Spirits. They also make Distiller’s Reserve Applejack, distilled twice aged for 11 years (photo © Copake Wine Works).

[8] Eight Oaks is a newer brand of craft applejack (photo © Jessica Glebe Designs | Eight Oaks Distillery).

[9] Old Hampshire Applejack is distilled in New Hampshire (photo © Tamworth Distilling).

[10] An apple hot toddy, perhaps the first American cocktail. Here’s the recipe (photo © US Apple).

*Corn whiskey was first made sometime in the mid-1700s, by Scottish and Irish immigrants who were familiar with the whiskey-making techniques of their homelands. It was a rustic spirit that was not aged and mostly intended for immediate consumption [source]. The term “moonshine” comes from the fact that illegal spirits were made under the light of the moon, to avoid detection from authorities. They avoided paying the government tax on alcohol, which began shortly after the American Revolution [source].