35 years of liqueurs

My first foray into homemade liqueurs was a winter I lived in Seeley Lake, Montana. COLD AND DEEEEEEEP SNOW! I taught at the local high school-I really enjoyed my job! I had bought the top book shown above in the summer and started dabbling that late fall with recipes. I still consider it my go-to for recipes. Soooo easy and fun end products. Perfect for entertaining at home and gifts. Thru the years I have considered it my 'kitchen hobby'. Raspberries, blackberries, pears, apples, herbs--Basically if you can soak it, it can become a liqueur! The Portlandia episode of "Pickle It!" reminds me of liqueur making!

My favorite recipe was one my daughter shared with me-Quadro Quadra.
44 coffee beans inserted in a fresh orange, soaked in the vodka for 44 days. Delish!

But move over Orange coffee liqueor--fresh cranberry orange is on the scene!
Read below. Found this on a foodie site-I've credited the authors.
The taste is incredible.

Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Total time
40 mins
 
Author: Barb
Serves: Approximately 6 cups ( I made a double batch. Heck, make it worth your while!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 2 cups vodka (Use decent vodka but top shelf not required)

For the Champagne Cocktail:

• 1 & ½ oz Cranberry Liqueur, chilled
• 4 oz Champagne, Cava or Prosecco, chilled

Preparation

1. Combine sugar and water in heavy saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer sugar syrup for three minutes, making sure all of the sugar has dissolved in the water.
2. Add cranberries, orange juice and orange rind.
3. Remove syrup mixture from heat and cool slightly.
4. Add mixture to Cuisinart and chop just slightly to open up berries; cool completely.
5. Add vodka and mix thoroughly.
6. Pour into container; glass or plastic. Cover and store in a dark, cool location for 3 weeks. (I put mine in the garage).
7. Stir ingredients every couple of days.
8. Once the mixture is ready, strain through fine metal sieve lined with cheesecloth (I like butter muslin; it's much finer and is sure to catch every seed); saving the berries. Be careful and not eat the whole bowl full of these beauties; they are SO good!
9. Pour liqueur into glass containers.
10. Time does not include the 3 weeks for 'brewing.'

To Make the Cocktail:

1. Pour the cranberry liqueur into chilled champagne glasses; top with your choice of chilled sparkling wine.

Read more at http://www.creative-culinary.com/cranberry-liqueur/#1StDyrq3OOjr7yrp.99

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The recipe below can be easily modified for the cranberry liqueur.

• 4 blanched cranberries (cook in boiling water just until you hear the first one pop; remove and put into iced water immediately)
• 1 sage leaf
• ½ oz simple syrup (boil equal parts water and sugar til sugar dissolves, remove from heat and cool)
• 2 oz white cranberry juice
• 2 oz gin (I used Prairie Organic Gin which is what Seasons 52 also uses)

For Garnish:

• Fresh Cranberries
• Sage leaves

Preparation

1. Muddle the cranberries and sage in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the simple syrup, cranberry juice and gin and fill with ice.
2. Shake approximately 10 times until container is ice cold.
3. Fill glasses with ice and pour cocktail over ice to fill. Garnish with additional cranberries.

Read more at http://www.creative-culinary.com/cranberry-sage-cocktail-from-seasons-52/#ut7RHCXDh4h81jlG.99