It’s Friday! That means that The Swearing Mom has come up with another delectable specialty cocktail for you! Today you’re getting a double whammy! I have paired a cocktail with an appetizer just for you! This is easy enough for you to make after work and be nibbling and sipping in no time!

For the cocktail, I decided to use 100% pure maple syrup as the sweetener and to bring the natural sugars out in the figs by roasting them. I don’t like my cocktails to be incredibly sweet, but if you prefer more or less, adjust accordingly. I expected this beverage to taste like fall… In fact, I almost saved it for next month. The maple syrup seemed like it would be rich and over powering, when instead, the drink was incredibly light and refreshing! Perfect for the last few hot summer days that we, no doubt, have in front of us!

You will nee the following:

This recipe makes two drinks

• 1/4 cup figs, sliced and roasted
• 1 shot pure maple syrup
• the juice of half a lemon
• 3 shots bourbon, I used Maker’s Mark
• club soda

Directions:

1. Add roasted figs to a cocktail shaker or muddling jar.
2. Pour in maple syrup and lemon juice and mash well with a muddling tool.
3. Add bourbon and give a solid stir or shake.
4. Pour over ice into two glasses and top off with club soda.
5. Garnish with a slice of fig and a quarter slice of lemon.

The next item on my agenda is a quick and easy appetizer, The Fig & Goat Prosciutto Wrap! The salty prosciutto, the tangy goat cheese and the sweet fig are a perfect combo, but when you add the balsamic reduction… it’s gonna knock your panties right off!

You will need the following:

• 1 Pack of your favorite brand of prosciutto, cut in half length wise.
• 5 figs quartered, if you want more meat flavor and less sweet, cut the figs into 8ths and use half as many.
• Goat cheese
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Spread a Tbsp. or so of goat cheese onto a wedge of fig. 
2. Place fig and cheese on the end of a prosciutto strip and roll it up. No toothpick necessary, the prosciutto will sort of adhere to itself.
3. In a small sauce pan, heat the balsamic to boiling. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook until reduced to a syrupy thickness. This should take 8-10 minutes. Stir often.
4. Arrange the wraps on a platter with some fresh figs and generously drizzle with the reduction.

Treat yourself to something fine and mellow this weekend! You deserve it, after all! It’s been a long week and we all did our best. Enjoy! Swearing Mom out.