DIY Foodie Gifts For The Holidays: Mixers For The Bartender in Your Life
Wednesday, December 03, 2014
Photo Credit: iStock
Limoncello
I hope I’m not the only one who wishes they had a Sicilian grandmother to teach them how to craft a perfect bottle of refreshing Limoncello. Thanks to our local Italian restaurant Nostrana, we can all pretend we do (1401 SE Morrison). Rather than soaking the zest of two lemons directly in the liquor, Nostrana hangs the peels above the liquid in a cheesecloth sack, allowing the alcohol to macerate the peel at room temperature. This old Sicilian technique ensures that only the bright fresh taste of the lemons comes through, without the bitter pith tainting the finishing taste. This process takes about a month for the best flavor. While Meyer lemons are usually used for their effervescent fragrance, don’t be afraid to experiment with oranges, key limes and grapefruits.
Pour one 750 ml bottle of 80 proof food grade alcohol into a large glass jar with a swingtop fastening lid. You can also use vodka, but the flavor will take twice as long to infuse. Using a piece of cheesecloth, make a hammock for two Meyer lemons and suspend them above the liquid with a length of twine. Secure lid and store in a cool dark place for 3 weeks. Only use rinsed, organic lemons, as you don’t want nasty pesticides infusing your nice vodka which will then infuse your esophagus. To finish the limoncello, remove the old lemons and add 1 ½ cups simple syrup and the zest of two more organic Meyer lemons. Let the zest soak for 15 minutes before straining it out and bottling the finished product.
How to Use It: Serve ice cold snifters as an eye-popping digestif after a large Italian feast, a Limoncello cream sauce for pasta, Limoncello tiramisu, or as a drizzle over fruit salad or pound cake.
Grenadine
This ruby red syrup is beautiful, versatile, and much richer than too-sugary store bought brands. On SW 10th and Stark, Crowd Common’s bartender mixes a tantalizing grenadine for his patrons. Bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler recommends melting 2 cups white sugar into 2 cups fresh pomegranate juice on the stovetop. Once the syrup has dissolved and cooled, add 2 oz. pomegranate molasses and a dash of orange blossom water (both are available at Barbur World Foods, our international foodie paradise.) If you’d like to extend your grenadine’s shelf life, add a shot of vodka to for preservation power.
How to Use it: Tequila Sunrises, Shirley Temples for the kids, and sangritas.
Kahlua
For the choco-alcoholic in your life: Kahlua is the perfect balance of mocha and vanilla. Best of all, it’s simple to make and only takes 2-3 weeks to infuse. Mix 4 cups water with 8 cups white sugar, and 1 ½ cups instant coffee crystals. Skip the Folgers and splurge on Medaglio D’Oro Instant Espresso for the best coffee flavor. Heat in a saucepan until sugar is melted. Cool mixture and add 4 ½ cups 100 proof vodka. Pour into two gallon jars. Slit a vanilla bean in half and plop one in each jar. Let infuse in a cool dark place for up to 3 weeks. Strain, removing vanilla beans and bottle.
As with the limoncello, experiment! Try making a batch with raw or brown sugar instead of white, switching the vodka for rum, and the instant coffee for strong fresh brewed espresso.
How to Use It: White and Black Russians, Chocolate martinis, Kahlua brownies, chocolate mousse, or Kahlua & Irish Cream cheesecake.
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