Early Infusions - Limoncello batch #1 & Candy Cane Vodka

Limoncello Batch #1

So, like I said I started my first batch of limoncello in the winter of 2008. It did not get done in time for Christmas presents or holiday parties, but it was finished in time for the 2009 legislative session, so it still served its purpose.

I lost the sheet of paper with the original recipe on it, but this is basically what it involved:

• Peel 20 lemons and mix those lemon peels with a big ol' jug of cheap russian vodka** (1.75 Liters) in a glass jar.

• Let the lemon peels and vodka sit for 45 days stirring every couple of days

• On day 45, remove the lemon peels from the vodka and strain out and particles. Then make a simple syrup consisting of 4 cups of sugar in 4 cups of boiling water. Let the syrup cool and mix it in with the lemon vodka.

• Let the lemon vodka sit with the simple syrup for another 45 days.

• The limoncello is ready! Put it into glass bottles or other containers. Mix it with seltzer water for a limoncello spritzer, or store in the freezer and sip the liquor straight on a nice, warm, summer day. We actually saved the lemon juice from the 20 lemons we used for the peels and made them into ice cubes, which we mix in with our limoncello spritzers.
  

So that was it; that was the first batch. It wasn't bad, but wasn't great. Honestly I was glad I hadn't given it away as Christmas presents as it was too sweet and the flavor was off a bit. We have been sipping this batch down for about 6 months now and are almost out. Next batch will have a much smaller amount of simple syrup...we'll see what happens!

**Note: throughout this blog, I will almost always use vodka for my limoncello. I have red that stronger grain alcohols, like Everclear are recommended. However, thanks to the rules and regulations of the Washington Liquor Control Board you cannot get Everclear in Washington State. So until I can make it over the border to Idaho, vodka will have to do.

Candy Cane Vodka

Despite the fact that I didn't finish the limoncello in time for Christmas presents, I didn't want to completely disappoint my friends, so I made a batch of candy cane vodka. While this infusion is very VERY sticky, it was delicious and festive and fun to make.

How to do it:

• Mix 750 mL of cheap Russian vodka with 1 package of candy canes (unwrapped please).

• Let it sit and the candy canes will dissolve.

• When candy canes are completely dissolved (about an hour), the infusion is ready to drink! The vodka is neither red or white like the two characteristic colors of a candy cane. Rather it is a bright pink.

I'm sure you can think of several drinks to make with this, but what we did was one shot of candy cane vodka mixed with 2 shots of Godiva Chocolate Liquor in a martini shaker with ice. Shake it and pour into a martini glass. Fabulous holiday drink.

At another holiday party the same year, my step-sister, Dena, had heard of my delicious concoction and so we made another batch (same recipe). However, this time we mixed it with creme de cacao (white chocolate flavor) and some half and half cream. This tasted even better than the Godiva Chocolate liquor and the nice creamy pinkish-white color was more appetizing than the sticky brown. Delicious holiday treats.

NOTE: do not garnish the chocolate candy cane martini with a cute little candy cane...the cute little candy cane will start to dissolve and quickly ends up being an icky sticky nightmare.