Boozed + Infused

Infusing liqueurs at home with inspiring and seasonal ingredients

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Winter Spice Bourbon Recipe

Happy 2014! My New Year’s Resolution is to infuse more booze! I mean it. I didn’t post very many new recipes last year, and I promise you that this year will be different.

Winter Spice Bourbon

Our first infusion for this year is Winter Spice Bourbon. Let’s get right to it.

Winter Spice Bourbon

1 medium cinnamon stick (about 4 grams)

3 whole cloves

10 whole allspice berries

zest of 1 orange (I peeled it into large strips, but you could use a microplane)

20 grams (about 4 halves) dried plums or other dried fruit (you could use raisins or currants)

2 cups (480 mL) Bourbon or whiskey of your choice

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Combine all ingredients in a large jar or bottle, close tight. Shake well and let it sit for a few days to a few weeks. I filtered mine at 12 days, and the flavor it strong. I think you could certainly filter sooner if it tastes to your liking. Let the infusion rest for a week or so after filtering, the flavor will mellow.

This infusion will be great in lots of cocktails. Try it in a winter hot toddy, a manhattan, old fashioned, or just sip it on its own.

I have more infusions in the works… so stay tuned!

What are you drinking and infusing this winter?

Winter Spice Bourbon

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Bourbon, Bourbon, Infused Bourbon!

Winter Spice Liqueur

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Quick and Simple Limoncello!

Lemons

One of the great things about winter is citrus fruit! Ok, ok, I don’t live in a citrus-growing area. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a tasty lemon pie, and start fermenting some spicy lime pickles… and oh yeah… we can’t forget the limoncello!

There are tons of limoncello recipes out there, and I’m sure that many of them are absolutely wonderful. Most of them include zesting the fruit and infusing for lengthy periods of time. Now typically, that kind of thing is right up my alley. Any of you who have been following us for long can attest to my affinity for long infusion times. But for me, limoncello is different.

A few years ago, we were visiting some friends and they pulled out a lovely bottle of homemade limoncello from the freezer. It was so lemony and tart, and just perfect. It was the best limoncello I ever had! I managed to get the recipe and now I will share it with you. I’m afraid that I do not know the source of the recipe, so I apologize for not appropriately giving credit.

Quick and Simple Limoncello

1 Litre of Vodka (80 proof is fine)

12 lemons

1 1/2 c. Sugar

Slice the lemons in half, and juice all of them. Set the juice aside and reserve for another purpose.

Place the lemon peels, vodka, and sugar in a large jar (you will probably be able to just squeeze this into a 1/2 gallon jar). Make sure all of the lemon peels are submerged in the vodka (stack them together if necessary) and seal the jar tight. Stir or shake it daily until all the sugar has dissolved, or about a week.

Strain the liquid, but do not squeeze the lemons it will make the infusion bitter. You can gently press a bit of the liquid out of the lemons with the back of a wooden spoon, but make sure you don’t give them much pressure. After you have filtered the rest of the liquid, bottle it and enjoy!

I’m sure there are tons of amazing cocktail recipes to use with this limoncello, but I prefer to store mine in the freezer and drink it straight, well-chilled.

If you have any desire to make limoncello this year, please try this fast and easy version. It is spectacular!

Cheers!

Limoncello

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Mandarin Gin


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National Vodka Day and a Cantaloupe Vodka Cocktail: Love

Well National Vodka Day has nearly passed. Did you do anything fun to celebrate?

We tested out a new cocktail, our first try at using the Cantaloupe Vodka we made this summer. And this drink is fabulous; the perfect way to pay tribute to this special day.

Love Cocktail (makes 2)

5 oz Cantaloupe Vodka

Juice of 1 small lime

1 TB Honey

1 TB Water

Lime zest to garnish

Combine honey and water and heat until honey is dissolved. Allow to cool. Add honey-water combination, lime juice, and Cantaloupe Vodka to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into cocktail glasses. Add lime twist.

This drink is really delicious. It is sweet, tangy, and somehow the lime and honey allow the cantaloupe flavor to really shine.

Cheers!


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Chili Agave Liqueur

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!

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Almond Liqueur

Ah, summer! We are finally enjoying the warm weather in the Northwest. With all the gorgeous fresh, local fruits available it is tempting to infuse everything in sight! So you may be wondering why I’m posting an almond liqueur recipe that can be done any time of year.

I started this infusion way back in March. I wasn’t crazy about it at first, so I left the infusion in the back of my coat closet for many months.

I finally strained this about two weeks ago. All it was missing was a bit of simple syrup. Once that was added, this liqueur instantly turned into something that is amazing and delicious.

Almond Liqueur

1 c. Raw Almonds, roughly chopped

1 c. Brandy

1 c. Vodka

1/2 Vanilla Bean, split

1 1/2 – 2 TB Simple Syrup

Place the almonds, brandy, vodka, and vanilla bean in a quart jar or bottle. Close the jar, and allow to infuse for approximately four weeks. (Probably not necessary to let it sit four months like I did!) Strain, then filter through a jelly bag or cheesecloth, and finally coffee filters. Add simple syrup to taste (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons).

The coffee filters are really important with this straining process. The liquid was very cloudy until it passed through the coffee filters, and then at once became a beautifully clear, golden color.

This liqueur is delicious and may become a regular infusion, and a favorite.

Cheers!

Almond Liqueur on Punk Domestics


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The Ultimate Summer Drink: Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Try this, and you will not regret it!

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Strawberry Basil Lemonade (makes 2 large drinks)

6 oz Strawberry Rum
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 TB Agave
4-6 Thai Basil leaves, plus more for garnish

Muddle basil with some ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the remainder of the ingredients, and more ice, shake vigorously. Serve in a tall glass over ice, and add more basil to garnish.

This drink is the epitome of summer. We loved it, and hope you will too! Another great use for that Strawberry Rum.

Cheers!

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Bourbon, Bourbon, Infused Bourbon!

Hey there bourbon lovers… I’m assuming (based on the title of this post) that if you are not a bourbon-lover, you are not reading. However, those of you who have neutral feelings about bourbon, you should really consider trying a bourbon infusion. They are amazing.

Coffee Bourbon

Coffee Bourbon

So, back to the bourbon… We have recently had a handful of bourbon fans tell us that they have started their first bourbon infusion. Some have started the banana bourbon, others the coffee bourbon. And for all lovers of bourbon out there, I thought we would make it easy on you and compile a list of all of the bourbon infusions for which we have posted recipes to date.

Chocolate Bourbon

Chocolate Bourbon

Before we get into the list, a few things we have learned about bourbon infusions:

– They almost never need any additional sweeteners

– They take little effort and turn out phenomenally

– They cause many people who are not traditionally bourbon lovers to have a much better appreciation of this fine, brown spirit

Cherry Bourbon

Cherry Bourbon

Below are all of her the bourbon infusions we have posted thus far (as well as a few cocktails and other recipes). Please click the link to get the recipe and post for each infusion.

Cherry Bourbon and don’t miss the Cherry Bomb

Coffee Bourbon and the Coffee Bourbon Milkshake

Chocolate Bourbon and the German Chocolate Cocktail

Apple Pie Bourbon

Mint Bourbon (cocktail recipe included)

Peanut Bourbon and Chocolate Peanut-Bourbon Clusters

Fig Bourbon and Fig Manhattan

Prune Bourbon (we have not yet posted a recipe but an easy treat was prune bourbon in ginger ale)  We also used the infused prunes to make the amazing Boozy Prune Jam

Banana Bourbon

Blackberry Bourbon

Apple Pie Bourbon

Apple Pie Bourbon

My favorites? I would say the Cherry Bourbon, Coffee Bourbon (you really must make this and try the milkshake) and Apple Pie Bourbon. The Prune Bourbon was delicious, but the Boozy Prune Jam was so good, I would make the infusion again just so I can have more jam.

So to all the bourbon lovers, I hope you find some inspiration and start an infusion. Don’t see one you like on the list? Feel free to ask me about other ideas for your infusions.

Cheers!


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Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Wow! We were so honored to receive a nomination for the Versatile Blogger award last week. And before we could post about it, we were nominated for the Kreativ Blogger award! I had crafted a post about all the rules, the nominees, information about me, etc. … and then crash… something happened and every time I tried to save the post, it was lost. So, after much frustration, I gave up and went to a friends house for delicious dinner (and a tamarind-orange gin and tonic, if you must know). Now this morning we have been nominated for a Sunshine Blogger award.

I am so thankful to the blogging community. I really feel so much friendship and support! So, I’m going to see what I can do to cover all of these in one post. I’m not sure how that’s going to work out. But it is beautiful outside this weekend, and we don’t get much of that in this part of the country. SO…

My first THANK YOU! goes to Eclectic Faerie… for the nomination of the Versatile Blogger Award. I stumbled upon this blog fairly recently and have had fun looking through all the interesting posts. They have tons of amazing recipes, and much more as they are a “journal of aesthetic pleasures”! Check them out…

The next THANK YOU! goes to Humble Feast… for the nomination of the Kreativ Blogger Award. Humble Feast is another blog that I stumbled upon recently and they have lots of delicious recipes in store for you…

And finally, THANK YOU! to Putney Farm… for the nomination of Sunshine Blog Award. Now, I have to admit, I had not heard of the Sunshine Blog award before today. But the nomination coming from Putney Farm is very touching. I have been following Putney Farm for a while. I think they started blogging about the same time as we did. I realize this has just been a few months, but Putney Farm has really done a lot with their blog in this time. They are constantly posting amazing recipes for food and cocktails. In fact, they probably have more cocktails on their site than we do. Their photos keep getting better and better. Please pay them a visit, you will not be disappointed.

The rules of all of these are fairly similar, but all have a few differences. I think for the most part, you are supposed to thank the person who nominated you and link back to their site. Then you are supposed to say a few things about yourself. For the Versatile and Kreative blogger awards, it is 7 things about yourself. For the Sunshine blog award, there are some specific questions. And finally, the Versatile Blogger award has you nominate 15 blogs for the award, the Kreativ Blogger award has you nominate 7, and the Sunshine Blog has you nominate 10 “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere”. (Oh, and be sure to leave a comment for those you nominate so that they know about it!)

So, I will start with a few things about me:

I…

1. have lived in both Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon

2. got married on a Greek island… breathtaking Santorini

3. am addicted to CANNING!

4. love to knit (I know, I’m sounding more like my grandmother… but she’s a really cool lady! In fact, my grandmother taught me to knit.)

5. have been vegetarian for over 14 years

6. love to garden and follow the square-foot gardening method in my tiny veggie garden

7. grew up on a small farm, the very same one that my father and grandfather grew up on

The Sunshine Blog Award Questions:

Favorite Color: Fuchsia (ok, I don’t really have a favorite, but I would say fuchsia is right up there)

Favorite Animal: Dogs, and since I don’t have one, I’m going to say “Pete”. Pete is my parents’ chocolate lab, and he is awesome!

Favorite Number: how about 3??

Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink: Soy Latte! I could go for an iced one right now…

Facebook or Twitter: I’m going to say Facebook, only because that is the only one I participate in. Truth be told, I am not a fan of either. I started a FB page for Boozed + Infused a few months ago, and started one for myself, reluctantly, about a month ago. I’m not kidding…

My passion: the outdoors! It is KILLING me that I’m inside attached to a computer right now.

Prefer giving or getting presents: GIVING – and it will almost always be homemade (of course lots of them are liqueurs these days, but they also include boozy cherries, jam, pickled things, and knitted items…)

Favorite Pattern: polka dots

Favorite day of the week: Saturday for sure!

Favorite Flower: tough one, they are all so good. But I’m going with Peonies

Ok, so now for the nominations of bloggers that inspire us…

For the Kreativ Blogger Award, we would like to nominate:

1. Putney Farm (I know you just nominated us for Sunshine, but I was already going to nominate you for this… )

2. Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again

3. The Domestically Impaired Guide to Retro Kitchen Arts

4. Cake & Table

5. Good Booze

6. The Nobler Experiment

7. The Veggielogues

For the Sunshine Blog Award, I would like to nominate:

1. Gourmet Veggie Mama

3. Shiny Tomato

4. Spices & Spackle

5. Smedette

6. Booze in Pretty Cups

7. Through My Lens

8. My Pantry Shelf

9. The Tipsy Scribbler

10. It’s just the booze dancing…

Sorry to cut this short and not say more about why these blogs are all so amazing… but please check them out for yourself. There is so much creativity and inspiration in the blogosphere right now, it is really astonishing.

Again, a big thank you to those who nominated Boozed + Infused:

Putney Farm

Eclectic Faerie

Humble Feast


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When Life Hands you Lemons…

…make Limoncello

I suppose thats the celebratory way to think of it anyways.   And when you live in Southern California life most certainly hands you lemons.  In my case I seem to have an abundance of lemons making their way into my house from the trees in friends and neighbors yards.   It is truly fantastic!!  I just have lemon tree envy, wishing i had my own.    But instead I will just have to try  making some limoncello this winter.   I tried a fast version last year, but I think this time around I will try the slower version and keep you posted on how its coming along.


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Happy Holidays

Home made goodies to celebrate the season… Happy Holidays to you!