Thread: Thanksgiving and Christmas Season - Holiday Treats and Assorted Stuff

Lemongrass-Sage Cocktail

June 10, 2012 by Alicia | 10 Comments

Thank you Jayme and Nicky from #gartenderchat for inspiring me to make this drink. It was refreshing and best of all, the sage came straight from my garden.
For those of you who missed the last post, gartending = gardening + bartending = growing your own cocktails.


Lemongrass-Sage Cocktail

2 oz. Lemongrass Vodka
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TB Agave (or less to taste)
1 large sage leaf (plus more for garnish)
Place ice in a cocktail shaker, add one large sage leaf and muddle. Add remaining ingredients, shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
If you haven’t yet made Lemongrass Vodka, you could start infusing now … (I’m waiting…) or if you are less patient, you could muddle some heavily into the cocktail shaker and add straight vodka.
The lemongrass vodka is so easy, fragrant, and versatile, I know that we will make more of it so that we can have more delicious cocktails… I hope you enjoy this one. We sure did.
Cheers!

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/06/...tail/#comments

Chili Agave Liqueur

August 18, 2012 by Alicia | 22 Comments

It is hot out! I mean it is really HOT out! Right about now, chili peppers are ripening and finding their way into many dishes and meals… and let’s not forget… cocktails.


I have received a number of questions about infusing hot peppers. And honestly, this is the only pepper infusion that I have done. It turned out really wonderful. It has great flavor, and also an underlying heat and depth of the peppers.
Feel free to use different peppers in this recipe. But beware not to use too many. That is a very common mistake of pepper infusions.


Chili Agave Liqueur
1/2 c. agave
1/2 c. water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp black pepper corns
1 serrano pepper (fresh) – sliced in half
1 red or green jalapeno pepper (fresh) – sliced in half
5 dried chili peppers, stems removed, left whole
zest of 1 lemon (large strips if possible)
2 c. vodka
Combine all ingredients except the vodka in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool completely, about an hour. Strain the solids out of the syrup mixture, and pour the syrup into a quart jar or other glass container. Add the vodka to the canning jar, seal tightly. Shake to combine. Allow to infuse for 1 week.
After infusing for a week, strain well through a jelly bag and coffee filters.

If you don’t want your infusion to turn out too spicy, you could remove the seeds from the chilis before simmering in the syrup, or cut back on the number of chilis. If this does turn out too hot for your taste, thin it out with a bit more vodka and agave.
Those of you who have been asking for some “sweet heat”, you will love this liqueur. We have been too greedy to share much of it with others, but my father said this one was his favorite in a recent taste test. He is a lover of all things hot and spicy, so if you are too… you better start infusing!


Cheers!

Related Posts
Sweet Heat Cocktail

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/08/...ueur/#comments

Sweet Heat Cocktail

August 22, 2012 by Alicia | 12 Comments

You are going to love the Chili Agave Liqueur that we posted last week. And after you make it, you will need to make this…


Sweet Heat Cocktail
3 oz Chili Agave Liqueur
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Lemon Twist
chili pepper to garnish (if desired)
Place Chili Agave Liqueur and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, pour into a chilled martini glass, add a lemon twist and garnish.
It is spicy, sweet and completely delicious.
Cheers!


http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/08/...tail/#comments

Coffee Bourbon

May 5, 2012 by Alicia | 30 Comments

Coffee… many of us can’t imagine a morning without it (I’m certainly one of them). And coffee liqueur… who doesn’t love a good White or Black Russian?



We knew we wanted to do a coffee liqueur, but took some time trying to decide exactly how we would do it. A lot of coffee liqueur recipes call for vodka, lots of sugar, instant coffee or brewed coffee, etc. In general, we like to use less sugar in our recipes and wanted to incorporate a different booze. So, Coffee Bourbon seemed a natural choice!

Coffee Bourbon
1/4 c. Whole Coffee Beans, Smashed (preferably dark, espresso roast)
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 TB dark brown sugar (packed)
1 1/4 c. Bourbon
First we took the coffee beans and placed them in two plastic bags. We took a metal muddler and smashed the beans until they were gently crushed (see photo).



Place all ingredients in a small canning jar, and set the jar in a dark, cool location. Every few days, shake the jar lightly.
Infuse for about 3 weeks, or until this reaches your desired taste.
Strain and filter through cheesecloth, jelly bag (if desired) and finally coffee filters.
This coffee liqueur is so rich and delicious. You can taste all the nuances of the bourbon, and the espresso roast coffee gives it such a good flavor.
We are also going to try this same recipe with brandy.
This is a “must try”! If you love coffee, you need to make this.
Enjoy!

Related Posts:
Coffee Bourbon Milkshake: Quite possibly the best milkshake you will ever have!




http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/05/...rbon/#comments

A Tale of Two Rhubarbs… and some gin

May 30, 2012 by Alicia | 23 Comments



I have a jealousy problem… I hate to admit it, but I’m often jealous of other people’s produce. Yes, you read that correctly. Produce.
So in the spring, when everyone was singing the praises of their beautiful pink rhubarb cocktails, rhubarb syrup, rhubarb jam… and oh yes, rhubarb liqueur… I sat around and sulked. Where was MY rhubarb? Still growing…
But wait, I had some rhubarb in the freezer from last year. But that posed another problem. It was rhubarb alright, but not the pretty pink stuff. It was the green with a hint of red stuff… not exactly the “glamorous” variety.
So let’s get this straight, I’m now jealous of the *color* of the rhubarb. Oh brother, right?
Well, I finally got over it and pulled the green rhubarb out of the freezer and started an infusion. And because of my insecurities about the color and variety, I spiced it up with some orange zest, orange liqueur, and brown sugar.
A few days later, I ventured up to my parents farm (my favorite source for organic produce). To my surprise, the beautiful red rhubarb was flourishing. So I came home with a bunch of it and started another infusion.
They are both delicious. I think so far most people prefer the Rhubarb-Orange, but they are both tasty, and will be perfect drinking alone and in cocktails.

Variety 1: Rhubarb-Orange Gin



2 c. chopped Rhubarb (I used frozen, but fresh would be fine)
2 TB Orange Liqueur (triple sec, Cointreau, etc.)
Zest of One Orange
2 c. Gin
1/4 c. Packed Dark Brown Sugar
In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb and Orange Liqueur. Heat until it starts to simmer. Allow to simmer on low for about 2 minutes.
Set rhubarb aside and allow to cool. Once this has cooled, add all ingredients to a quart jar (or larger). Close the jar, shake, and place in a dark, cool location for about 4-5 weeks.
Strain with a mesh strainer, press through cheesecloth, then a jelly bag and finally coffee filters. Perfect!

Variety 2: Rhubarb Gin


2 1/2 c. chopped fresh rhubarb
2 TB Sugar
2 1/2 c. Gin
3 TB Simple syrup (thick 2-1 sugar to water ratio) or more/less to taste
Toss rhubarb and sugar in a bowl and allow to macerate for at least an hour. (I followed the advice of Country Girl Brooklyn on this step) This brings out a lot of the beautiful pink juices from the rhubarb.
Place the macerated rhubarb and juices in a canning jar with the gin and allow to infuse for about a month.
Strain and filter with a mesh strainer, jelly bag if desired, and coffee filters. Once it is filtered, add simple syrup to your desired taste.



While these were infusing, the Rhubarb-Orange definitely looked pretty undesirable. The red rhubarb almost immediately became such a beautiful pink. But now that they are filtered, I realize that I should not have judged a rhubarb by its color. I was discriminating. I’m sorry rhubarb. Please forgive me.
If you haven’t already made a rhubarb infusion this year, you should try this! I understand that some areas may not have fresh rhubarb any longer. But in my area we can usually keep harvesting through August. If it’s too late, then please try this next year. They are both very tangy and tasty.



They actually both look quite beautiful now too, don’t they?
Cheers!

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/05/...-gin/#comments

Hibiscus Lemonade

July 9, 2012 by Alicia | 21 Comments

Who needs a Monday cocktail? It is (finally) a gorgeous, sunny summer day here in the Pacific Northwest. And a cool, refreshing drink sounded just perfect.
We’re bringing back a few infusions that we made a while back, but they are perfect for this summer beverage.



Hibiscus Lemonade (serves 2)
2 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 oz Hibiscus Brandy
2 oz Lemongrass Vodka
1 oz simple syrup (or to taste)
6 oz club soda
Mix the first 4 ingredients in a shaker, and stir well to combine. Divide among two tall glasses filled with ice, add club soda, stir and enjoy!
Cheers!

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/07/...nade/#comments

Mint Bourbon and an amazing cocktail!

May 24, 2012 by Alicia | 9 Comments



We started infusing a mint bourbon shortly before the Kentucky Derby. For those of you who are Mint Julep fans, you may have too!
For our Mint-Infused Bourbon, we used Chocolate Mint, instead of the typical Spearmint. We picked some mint, rinsed it (and allowed to dry), then packed it into a pint jar and covered with bourbon. Infuse until it reaches your desired taste.



So, armed with mint-infused bourbon, we couldn’t help but want to try it in the Shady Porch Cocktail from A Taste of Morning. A Taste of Morning is written by Laurie, proprietor of the Morning Star B&B in Manhattan, Kansas. And by the looks of her posts, this would not be a place to miss if you are in the area.
Laurie’s Shady Porch Cocktail called for Mint-Infused Vodka, and we decided to test it out with our mint-infused bourbon instead. The drink was absolutely spectacular! I’m sure it is also fabulous with the original, vodka infusion.

Bourbon Shady Porch (adapted from A Taste of Morning)
1 1/2 oz. mint-infused Bourbon
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. mint simple syrup
4 oz. Ginger Ale
Garnish with lime zest and sprig of mint
Combine first 3 ingredients, and stir well to combine. Pour over ice, and add ginger ale. Garnish with lime and mint.
We used Spearmint for our mint simple syrup, but also enjoyed the chocolate-mint flavor in the bourbon infusion. The flavor seemed to be a bit more gentle than the spearmint.
Thank you again to Laurie from Morning Star B&B and A Taste of Morning. We will definitely make this cocktail again. It was really tasty, and will make for great summer gatherings.


http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/05/...tail/#comments

Green Heather Vodka Tonic

June 16, 2012 by Alicia | 2 Comments

I’ve mentioned this a few times before, but I happen to be a bit of a canning addict. So with everyone touting their delicious jam cocktails, I decided to try one of my own… with Green Tomato Jam!
We made this jam last fall, long after we had picked our green tomatoes. They sat on the kitchen counter for what seemed to be forever, and we finally decided to can them. At first I wasn’t sure what to think of the jam. And in fact we left it in the pantry for months. We finally brought it out a little while back and tested it with a delicious Parrano cheese and baguette. It was fabulous! And it was wonderful in this cocktail as well.


Green Heather Vodka Tonic

2 oz Heather Flower Vodka
1/2 TB Green Tomato Jam
5 oz Tonic Water
Lemon Twist
Stir the Heather flower vodka and green tomato jam with ice, add tonic and garnish with a twist. Add more ice if needed.
This was very tasty and refreshing. The green tomato jam added a lovely tangy lemony sweet flavor, and the heather flowers paired nicely.
I think this is a great cocktail to drink during next week’s #GartenderChat! If you haven’t checked it out yet, the next one is Thursday, June 21 at 6:00 pm Pacific time.
Cheers!

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/06/16/green-heather-vodka-tonic/#comments

Rose Hip Vodka

June 28, 2012 by Alicia | 19 Comments


Wow! Time flies, doesn’t it?! This week is a blur. I don’t know about you, but I’m sure ready for the weekend…
Several months ago, I found a recipe for a Rosehip Tipple from Wildcraft Vita. If you are not familiar with this blog, you should check it out. In addition to some amazing ideas for infusions, there are many other inspirations for flowers, herbs and foraging.
Back to the rose hips… I don’t happen to have any roses of my own. I have some friends with lots of lovely rose bushes, and have already laid claim to their rose hips. But the rose hips have not formed yet. And I’ve really been wanting to make a rose hip infusion.
As it turns out, I was able to find some dried rose hips. And the infusion could not have been easier.

Rose Hip Vodka
2 TB Dried Rose Hips
1 c. Vodka
Infuse for approximately one week. Strain.
This infusion is very nice. The flavor has hints of citrus, floral, and a bit like fruit leather. If you enjoy rose hip tea, you will like this. And the cocktails are fabulous.


The infusion will end up looking quite a bit like tea… and tastes good with tea as well. I started out with a small batch of this to test it out, but will definitely make more.
Cheers!

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/06/...odka/#comments

Heather Flower Vodka

June 14, 2012 by Alicia | 2 Comments

We like to try lots of new flavors over here at Boozed + Infused. When out shopping for groceries, I often scour the shelves looking for ideas of things to infuse. I go to certain stores looking specifically for interesting flavors. One of my favorite stores to find different ingredients is the local Home Brewing supply store. You may be surprised to find that there are a lot of home brew stores out there, and many of them sell online.
At a recent trip to the Homebrew Exchange, I picked up bunch of fun bottles, ingredients, and some inspiration! One of these ingredients was dried heather flowers.


While I didn’t really know what heather flowers would taste like, I was excited to try a new infusion.

Heather Flower Vodka
2 TB Dried Heather flowers
1 c. Vodka
Infuse for about 7-9 days, strain and filter. Enjoy in cocktails!
The result is a lovely golden color. The flavor is only slightly floral. It has a nice taste to it, but is hard to describe. I can tell you that it makes a great cocktail… recipes will be forthcoming. In the meantime, try a heather flower infusion, or better yet let us know about something new and interesting that you have infused.
Cheers!

http://boozedandinfused.com/2012/06/...odka/#comments