Cranberry-Apple Cider Shandy from Tyler Florence--A Perfect "Simple Saturday Sipper" for the Holidays

This week's "Simple Saturday Sipper", Cranberry-Apple Cider Shandies, are from Tyler Florence, via Oprah's website (here).

According to Wikipedia "Shandygaff or Shandy, a beverage first invented in the United Kingdom, is beer flavoured with ginger beer or ginger ale. Carbonated lemonade or citrus-flavored soda may also be used. The proportions of the two ingredients are adjusted to taste, normally half-and-half, although shandy that is sold canned or bottled is typically much weaker (about one part beer to ten parts sweet soda)." In this case, Tyler's Shandies are are great combination of fall flavors using cranberry juice and hard apple cider.

Tyler Florence's Cranberry-Apple Cider Shandy

Tyler Florence on Oprah.com

(Serves 4-6)

1 cup cranberry juice
2 cups ice
4 pints hard apple cider

In a food processor or blender, combine ice and cranberry juice and process for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture tightens up and takes on the texture of a slushy. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out among glasses, then top off with chilled hard cider. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve in mason jars for a fun presentation.

Notes/Results: Refreshing and good. I liked the combination of flavors as well as having the scoop of "slushy" cranberry juice with the slight carbonation of the hard cider. Since I used an unsweetened cranberry juice, I found that I needed to add a touch of agave to sweeten it just a bit. These were the perfect accompaniment to a slightly spicy curry soup I fixed (tune in tomorrow for that), and would be fun to serve at a holiday party. I would make this again.

Have you ever tried a Shandy?