Piatti has been satisfying San Antonio’s craving for fine Italian food since 1987. The longtime favorite recently underwent a facelift and updated its menu, so you’ve got another reason to pop in for a visit in addition to the fabulous Brandy Alexander created by Daniel Guajardo Jr.

Daniel, who grew up in San Antonio (shout out to Frio City Road), has been with the restaurant for the past ten years. He currently lives in Floresville with a whole herd of animals. He and his wife have cows, goats, a couple of dogs, and a donkey appropriately named…donkey (just like Shrek!)…not to mention a couple of kids.

When he’s not dealing with all that, he’s doing a damn good job whipping up delicious and innovative cocktails. One of those cocktails is the Apple of My Eye, his take on the classic Brandy Alexander. Why the name? Well this is the first time a cocktail of his has been photographed, so he wanted to name it something worthy of the occasion. I’d say he succeeded.

The cocktail itself is inspired by his grandma’s horchata with notes of cinnamon and vanilla being most prominent. Sweetened condensed milk is added to the apple-cinnamon tea to create a sweet, creamy texture that pairs well with subtle hints of citrus from the Licor 43. Finally, Daniel adds a dry shake to the process to ensure the cocktail is extra creamy. That all adds up to one tasty take on the classic dessert cocktail.

But wait…there’s more! The cocktail is paired with an apple strudel from long time pastry chef Luis “niño” Ramirez. Ramirez has been working at Piatti since he was 16 and handling all things pastry for the last 18. His experience shows with this tasty strudel that’s even better dipped in the cocktail! Stop by Piatti now through NYE and get your hands on these two lovely creations. Maybe buy Daniel a dram of his favorite scotch (Balvenie 12) as a thank you!