“PumpGin” Mule

This riff on a mule subs gin for vodka and uses a house made pumpkin syrup to skew the flavor toward autumn. Originally made for Pumpkinfest, the rustic garnish shaped into a jack-o-lantern adds a thematic twist.

Ingredients:

1 .5 ounces gin

.75 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice

.5 ounces pumpkin spice simple syrup

3 ounces ginger beer or ginger ale

Add gin, lime, and pumpkin simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill and incorporate syrup. Strain into an ice-filled glass . Top with ginger ale or ginger beer. Enjoy responsibly.

Garnish option (can be made in advance and stored for later use):

Slice a Fuyu persimmon into rounds. Cut out jack-o-lantern faces with a paring knife. Dehydrate overnight in a food dehydrator set to 135°F. Finished persimmons should be no longer sticky but should not yet be brittle.

No food dehydrator? Set oven to lowest setting. Place slices on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Processing time will be shorter at 2-3 hours.