How to mix an Oh Pear cocktail (variation of the Rusty Nail)

This award-winning cocktail is liquid perfection and ideal for your fall cocktail party. A variation of the classic Rusty Nail, the Oh Pear adds the tastes of fall with fresh Red Bartlett pear puree and some delicious pear liqueur, redolent with the fragrance of an orchard. Add a touch of Drambuie and you’ve got yourself a knockout. Pair this with a cheddar frico, and you’ve got yourself a duo that will keep your guests hovering around the hors d’oeuvres table. “The challenge was to create a cocktail using pears—in any variety, form, and combination. I decided that the drink had to have pears in the forefront, first and foremost, and that it should taste like fall in a glass. I’ve always loved Drambuie and felt that it was underrepresented in cocktails, and thought, hmm, this might be good with that bottle of Jameson’s Irish whiskey that’s been sitting on the shelf. I also just got a bottle of Belle de Brillet pear liqueur and, man, that stuff has incredible pear aromas. Combine that with the Red Bartlett puree and voilà! you get a cocktail that is sweet, slightly spicy, and has a playful texture. Seconds, please!” — Paul “We discovered that cheddar is the perfect flavor accompaniment with the Oh Pear. I didn’t want to just pair the drink with a slab of cheddar on a cracker. In a pinch that’s fine, but I wanted to add a little zing to the flavor of cheddar, and that’s where the idea of blue cheese and several herbs and spices came into play. Caraway seeds, mace, dried chervil and marjoram, a little pimentón (smoked paprika), and some salt and pepper bring out more of the cheese flavors. The biggest challenge was trying to come up with a snack that would be easy to eat with little mess. The classic fried little frico popped into my head. But be forewarned, it’s almost impossible to eat just one!”