Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

The Tapestry of Stone was created at Loyal Nine as a play on the original New England Highball: the Stone Fence, whiskey or rum mixed with cider. I named it after a line from a 1910 Helen Keller poem “The Song of the Stone Wall.” The original was made with 151-proof aged Demerara rum and apple cider, but I found it rather pleasing with bourbon and pear juice as substitutes.

Makes 1 cocktail

1½ ounce bourbon (or 1 ounce 151-proof Demerara rum)
1 ounce cloudy sweet cider (not fermented) or pear juice
½ ounce cinnamon syrup*
½ ounce lemon juice
1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

* While cinnamon syrup is commercially available at the Boston Shaker Store in Somerville or via their online portal, it is also easily made. To make this syrup, break up a cinnamon stick in a measuring cup or similar, add ½ cup boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. Add ½ cup sugar, stir to dissolve, cover and let steep overnight. It should be ready to use in an hour or two but will not be as strong. Strain out the cinnamon stick bits, transfer to a bottle with a cap and refrigerate. Recipe is scalable for larger batches, and each batch is good for a month in the refrigerator.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2022 issue as part of a larger story on Cider-Based Cocktails.