You know here we are having a weeklong tribute the apple, and it’s crossed my mind that nobody has even bothered to make a nice toast to the apple in celebration.

So, like your longwinded Uncle Arthur who can’t just stand up and say “Good Health”,  I’m the guy that makes you sit there with your glass aloft as he tells a story. A long story of questionable relevance!

That’s because before we get to the toast I think you need to know how I came to choose the apple for this extravaganza.

You see it all started when I was in Palm Springs a couple weekends ago. The people I was staying with have a (nearly) 5-year kid. Let’s call him, Johnny. Well Johnny is developing an interest in cooking. He and I made a mean frittata one morning. It was like a game. He’d pick ingredients out of the fridge and I had to make something with them. Well a frittata is the original “kitchen sink” recipe, so it seemed an easy choice, especially once I clandestinely steered him toward choosing eggs.

And as is the case when that Uncle of yours opens his mouth, you are probably wondering what the heck this has to do with apples and the toast we are making to them! Well I am getting to that…

James Bond is a (fictional) man of many talents. I would say that along with “international man of intrigue” and “lady killer” we should also consider his talents as a mixologist and poet. Because in the 1953 Ian Flemming novel Casino Royale, Mr. Bond combines both skills to memorable effect.

    "A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."

    "Oui, monsieur."

    "Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

    "Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

    "Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.

    Bond laughed. "When I'm...er...concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."