Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits: Innovative Flavor Combinations, Plus Homemade Versions of Kahlúa, Cointreau, and Other Popular Liqueurs (20 page)

Rose perfume is blousy and bold and tricky to tame. Raspberry, with its lush flavor and bright color, is a worthy companion. Usually I would expect and even encourage a potent flavor like rose to have its way, but when I introduced these two, I was shocked at how graciously the rose slipped into the background, creating a delightfully ethereal fruit liqueur. It makes an enchanting cooler poured over ice and splashed with soda.

Makes about 1 quart

• 1 fifth (750 ml/3
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₄
  cups) vodka (80–100 proof)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried rose petals
  
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
  
• Finely grated zest of 1 tangerine
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the vodka, rose petals, raspberries, and tangerine zest in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of roses, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Prost!
Try some Electric Raspberry Lemonade (
page 243
), shown above.

Chamomile is calming, angelica promotes digestion and boosts the immune system, and tarragon is rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation throughout the body. If your body is a temple, these three are its guardian angels. The flavor of this liqueur is multidimensional — floral, herbal, and bittersweet. Angelica has a stimulating bitter aftertaste (indicative of digestive aids) that works seamlessly with the aromatics and sugar syrup.

Makes about 1 quart

• 2 cups Dutch-style gin (80 proof)
  
• 1 cup dry vermouth (18% ABV)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried chamomile blossoms
  
• ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cup chopped dried angelica root
  
• 3 tablespoons dried tarragon
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the gin, vermouth, chamomile, angelica, and tarragon in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of herbs, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Cheers!
Mix with tonic water for an excellent Tummy Tamer (
page 256
).

Calendula (marigold) is one of those floral herbs whose health benefits seem to have no bounds. It is good for disease prevention and helps relieve inflammation, menstrual cramps, and tummy aches. In addition, it has a glorious golden color, which it effortlessly shares with this gorgeous liqueur. The gold is enhanced by saffron threads, the crimson stigmas of the saffron crocus. Though beautiful, neither saffron nor marigold has a distinctive aroma, so the principal flavor in this liqueur comes from orange zest.

Makes about 1 quart

• 1 fifth (750 ml/3
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₄
  cups) vodka (80–100 proof)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried calendula (marigold) flowers
  
• 1 tablespoon saffron threads
  
• Finely grated zest of 6 oranges
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the vodka, calendula, saffron, and orange zest in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid is golden and smells and tastes strongly of orange, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. Return a few threads of the saffron to the liquid for panache.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Santé!
Makes a vibrant Sunshine Cosmo (
page 248
) and an iridescent Screwdriver.

Glowing red and fragrantly tart, hibiscus blends effortlessly with citrus flavors. Red hibiscus is associated with the Hindu goddess Kali, consort of Shiva, the god of eternal time. Ironic because hibiscus blossoms are notoriously fragile, wilting within hours of harvesting, but that’s all the more reason to capture their vibrant color and delicious medicinal tang through drying. Hibiscus blooms are high in vitamin C, and in some medical studies have been shown to lower blood pressure.

Makes about 1 quart

• 1 fifth (750 ml/3
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₄
  cups) vodka (80–100 proof)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried hibiscus flowers (see
  Resources
  )
  
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  
• Finely grated zest of 1 lime
  
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the vodka, hibiscus, lemon zest, lime zest, and orange zest in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of citrus, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Bottoms Up!
Use in place of traditional Sour mix.

Hibiscus and rose live at opposite corners of the flavor spectrum, but in color they are utterly simpatico. The taste of hibiscus is sharp and bright (about 25 percent organic acids by weight), while rose is soft and welcoming (geraniol, its prime aromatic molecule, is generically fruity and is used in the production of imitation fruit flavors like peach, raspberry, pineapple, and watermelon). Opposites attract, however, and together these two are damned near all-encompassing. The color of this liqueur, a crystalline ruby glow, is breathtaking.

Makes about 1 quart

• 1 fifth (750 ml/3
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₄
  cups) vodka (80–100 proof)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried hibiscus flowers (see
  Resources
  )
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried red rose petals
  
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the vodka, hibiscus, rose petals, and tarragon in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of flowers, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Salut!
Flavor a Daiquiri or a Margarita or make a sexy Blushing Spritzer (
page 243
).

The pervasive scent of orange blossoms on a tree vanishes as soon as the blooms are plucked, so to capture their heady allure in a liqueur I was forced to reinvent nature. Jasmine has an all-purpose floral perfume that survives drying beautifully. When combined with orange peel (bursting with fragrant orange oils) they imitate the scent of orange flowers. Real orange blossoms are more delicate, but not more delicious.

Makes about 1 quart

• 1
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups vodka (80–100 proof)
  
• 1 cup dry vermouth (18% ABV)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried jasmine or honeysuckle flowers
  
• Finely grated zest of 3 oranges
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the vodka, vermouth, jasmine, and orange zest in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of oranges and flowers, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Prost!
Use to perfume a simple Screwdriver or make an Orange Blossom Mimosa (
page 244
).

I find most bourbons pedestrian — nice enough, but a little too sweet and often unfortunately flabby (give me rye any day). So when confronted with a bourbon shot, I rely on a drop of bitters to perk things up. That’s the idea here. By infusing bourbon with hops (the bittering blossom common to beer) and a pinch of cinchona (bitter quinine flavor), you achieve a bourbon with cojones. It’s a perfect base for Manhattans and Old-Fashioneds; no further bitters necessary.

Makes about 1 quart

• 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups bourbon (80 proof)
  
• ¹
  ⁄
  ₈
  ounce (
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cup) hops blossoms
  
• 2 teaspoons cinchona powder
  
• Finely grated zest of 4 oranges
  
• 1 cup
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the bourbon, hops, cinchona, and orange zest in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of hops, 3 to 5 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

Skål!
Some variations on a theme: Manhattan Streamlined (
page 246
), New-Fashioned Old-Fashioned (
page 249
), and Black Velvet Redux (
page 254
).

St-Germain, a tropically sweet herbal-floral French liqueur made from wild elderflowers hand-harvested in the French Alps, comes in a breathtakingly elegant bottle. Archly tapered and fluted like an Art Nouveau column, it is the classiest package on the barroom wall. I have tried my best to match its beauty, and though I still like the original better, this copycat version is delicious in its own right and far less expensive per bottle. Use it in place of vermouth in a Martini or wherever else you like to use vermouth.

Makes about 1 quart

• 2 cups vodka (80–100 proof)
  
• 1 cup dry vermouth (18% ABV)
  
• 1 ounce (about 2
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  cups) dried elderflower blossoms
  
• 3 Bartlett pears, seeded, stemmed, and chopped
  
• Pulp from 1 passion fruit
  
• Finely grated zest of
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₂
  lemon
  
• 1
  ¹
  ⁄
  ₄
  cups
  Simple Syrup
  

1. 1.
   Combine the vodka, vermouth, elderflowers, pears, passion fruit, and lemon zest in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
   
2. 2.
   Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of flowers and fruit, 7 to 10 days.
   
3. 3.
   Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
   
4. 4.
   Stir in the simple syrup.
   
5. 5.
   Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
   

L’chaim!
Sit in the garden sipping a Flowering Martini, pictured (
page 248
), or Kiwi Flower Crush (
page 250
).