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1
Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to steam. Remove from heat, let cool while the sage infuses the syrup.
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2
When cool, strain syrup into a jar. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator.
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3
FOR THE MAPLE SUGARED WALNUTS: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Place walnuts and chopped sage in a small mixing bowl. Mix egg white and maple syrup in a small cup. Add to walnuts and stir well. Sprinkle the brown sugar over and toss to coat nuts completely. Spill walnuts onto cookie sheet, and spread out in one layer.
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4
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring a few times, until nuts are nicely toasted. Slide parchment off of hot cookie sheet onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
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5
Finely crush a small amount of nuts equal to about a tablespoon. I use my mortar and pestle. Reserve the rest of the walnuts for another use.
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6
Alternatively, skip the maple sugared walnuts and simply rim the glass in granulated maple sugar.
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7
FOR THE BUTTERNUT-SAGE MARTINI: Rub inside of martini glass, as well as outer edge, with large sage leaf.
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8
Place 1 tablespoon butternut-sage syrup in a flat plate. Dip rim of glass in syrup, turning edge of glass all the way around.
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9
Place crushed maple sugared walnuts, or granulated maple sugar, in a flat plate. Dip wet rim of glass into the mixture, turning edge of glass all the way around.
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10
In a cocktail shaker filled 2/3 with ice cubes, add Nocello, vodka and butternut-sage syrup. Shake. Pour into prepared glass. Garnish with small sage leaf.
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11
Cin cin!
