Entertainment
My Go-To Holiday Cocktail Is the Apple Cider Old-Fashioned
A fragrant, simmering pot of apple cider is how this Old-Fashioned recipe from Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen Keepers begins, as you transform the cider into a sweet concentrate. Then you add bourbon, bitters, and ice for the perfect come-on-in-and-make-yourself-at-home cocktail that will disappear as quickly as the gigantic cheese ball. (Meaning, very!)
Why this recipe is a keeper for me:
* It serves 6 but can easily be doubled to make a big batch
* You can make it up to one! month! ahead!
* It tastes like a visit to a cider mill in peak fall
* The cider concentrate can also make mocktails for kiddos and nondrinkers (just add seltzer)
* Everyone I’ve served it to has swooned with happiness
For serving, I highly recommend acquiring garage sale vintage holiday glassware, which makes everything taste better.
If I’m using underwhelming grocery store cider, I might also add cinnamon sticks, star anise, or orange peel to oomph up the flavor — or the new pumpkin pie spice 2.0 from Burlap and Barrel that I’m obsessed with.
As for the alcohol, I love bourbon because it’s made of at least 51% corn and corn is sweet. That, plus the aging in oak, gives it warm dessert notes that play well with the cider. Rye has a sharper, stronger flavor from rye berries, so use that if you prefer a more booze-forward drink. Or use some peat-y scotch and put some much-needed hair on your chest! Keep ya warm in the winter.
Fun fact: Smitten Kitchen Keepers just came out as an audiobook. You can listen to Deb’s warm voice narrate the stories behind each recipe — or just follow the instructions below with your eyeballs:
Apple-Cider Old-Fashioned
1 quart (4 cups, or 950 grams) regular or spiced apple cider
½ teaspoon pumpkin or apple pie spice (if the cider isn’t spiced)
12 shakes orange or Angostura bitter (don’t skip! This rounds everything out and keeps it from tasting like booze and juice)
2 cups (475 grams) rye or bourbon whiskey (or more, if needed)
Ice
Apple slices, for garnish (or those dried orange wheels from Trader Joe’s)
Make the cider concentrate: Boil the apple cider and spice, if using, in a 3-to-4-quart saucepan over high heat until it is a shade darker and syrupy, reduced to about ⅔ cup in volume. This takes about 25-30 minutes on my stove. Stir occasionally, especially near the end, when you want to make sure it doesn’t cook off too far. (If it does, it won’t ruin the drink, but the texture can be thicker and harder to keep mixed.)
Mix with whiskey: Let it cool to room temperature; then whisk in the bitters. In a thin stream, slowly whisk in the whiskey until it’s evenly combined. Taste, and add more whiskey, up to ½ cup, if desired. Transfer the mixture to a lidded carafe, and chill thoroughly until you’re ready to serve.
To serve: Place one large or a few smaller ice cubes in an Old-Fashioned glass (6 ounces). If the apple cider has settled in the carafe, give it another stir, and pour it over the ice. Garnish with an apple slice, if using, and toast to the new season.
Thoughts? What drinks to you enjoy over the holidays? Hot chocolate? Icy wine?
P.S. 5 fun things I noticed at a drinks party, and how to host a cookie swap.
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files by Deb Perelman. Copyright © 2022 by Deb Perelman. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
