Black Friday may be over, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t still use something to take the edge off. Manjula Martin, 10-year veteran bartender of San Francisco’s iconic restaurant, The Slanted Door, whipped up a holiday cocktail recipe that’s just right: Vieux Normand, an apple twist on an Old Fashioned.
![Vieux Normand in an ornate tumbler with apple slices on navy cloth](https://d1h3pk8iipmcfn.cloudfront.net/blog/tumblr-media/06d2478c7c0cb10f110158b50a1430c4/tumblr_inline_nyhkwlfvug1s3rckq_540.jpg)
Vieux Normand
(makes 1 cocktail)
- Large ice cube
- 2 dash Angostura Bitters
- 1 dash allspice
- ¼ oz maple syrup
- 2 oz Calvados
- Apple slice to garnish
![Oranges, cut glass bottle, and marble slab on white marble countertop](https://d1h3pk8iipmcfn.cloudfront.net/blog/tumblr-media/74b278f9450456be70d02cf8d4591ce2/tumblr_inline_nyhl119uja1s3rckq_540.jpg)
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass.
Fill the glass with a large cube of ice. Manjula notes that the ice is an important component of the drink: as the ice melts, it’ll dilute the drink a bit so it’s not super boozy. Small cubes will melt too quickly, and this drink is meant to be sipped for a while!
Add the calvados and the angostura bitters. For that holiday hint, add maple syrup and a dash of allspice.
Stir, and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an apple slice, and enjoy!
![Manjula pouring cocktails into ornate, gold tumblers with apple slices](https://d1h3pk8iipmcfn.cloudfront.net/blog/tumblr-media/ea2b99737f3e3e2800ec7c8fccc695a5/tumblr_inline_nyhllyqUP81s3rckq_540.jpg)
A big thank you to Manjula for making us a delicious holiday-inspired cocktail. Ready to up your bar game? Go ahead: deck out your bar cart and shop our vintage barware collection for all your holiday hostessing festivities.