ChristinaS1 Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 In preparation for Christmas I am making some homemade orange liqueur. This is my first attempt. Only halfway done but the process seems super easy. Now that I know how easy it is, I won't be buying liqueurs anymore. The recipe is adapted from one in the book "The Drunken Botanist," by Amy Stewart, which is a most amusing book. Orange Liqueur recipe: 1 cup vodka, or brandy, or 1/2 vodka and 1/2 brandy, or 1/2 vodka and 1/2 bourbon 4 organic oranges, zest only (use carrot peeler but try to avoid white pith) +/- some (whole) spices Soak for one week. Then make a simple syrup made of: 1 cup sugar 1 cup water Add simple syrup to the booze and zest mixture and soak for another 24 hours. Refrigerate overnight. I chose to go with 1/2 vodka and 1/2 bourbon and did add small amounts of whole spices: 1/4 vanilla bean, coarsely crush cardamon seeds (not pods), star anise, sliver of nutmeg. I am guessing I will hardly taste the spices, but better too little than too much. Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix76 Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 Hi Christina, that sounds like a very nice tipple. Must have a go myself. Must also track down that book you mention. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 Hi Bill, Yes, track the book down if you can; you won't regret it. The recipe is actually for Limoncello, but she says you can use any kind of citrus, or cocoa nibs, or coffee beans. You could probably use a lot of other fruits too. Next summer I am going to try making more liqueurs, with different fruits I grow or forage. I have looked at numerous other liqueur recipes online. I read something interesting on one website: the author said that orange liqueur is a good one to have on hand because, if you ever you make a fruit liqueur that you feel is kind of a flop, blending it with a bit of orange liqueur can often "save" it. Keep well my friend, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix76 Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 Hey thanks Christina. Yep got the book straight up. Very expensive though a whole $A1.70. Got it for nothing as I used my loyalty points on Kobo. I buy most of my books through them, and some through Kindle. Very much into eBooks. Cheers my friend Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 That’s a great idea, Christina, I must try it too. We are big fans of making our own infused vodkas; rhubarb, vanilla and salted caramel are our favourites. Amy Stewart spoke at Writers Week here in Adelaide early this year, she was fantastic. She covered her work on botany (The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Weeds) and historical novels (her stories about the Kopp sisters, fascinating). The Drunken Botanist is a great book, freely available in our public libraries. Enjoy your liqueur! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 That’s a great idea' date=' Christina, I must try it too.We are big fans of making our own infused vodkas; rhubarb, vanilla and salted caramel are our favourites. Amy Stewart spoke at Writers Week here in Adelaide early this year, she was fantastic. She covered her work on botany (The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Weeds) and historical novels (her stories about the Kopp sisters, fascinating). The Drunken Botanist is a great book, freely available in our public libraries. Enjoy your liqueur! [/quote'] Cool that you saw Amy Stewart speak in Adelaide! I will check out her other works. Thanks. I'd love your recipes for those two favourite liqueurs of yours. Can you please post them Mark? Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Vodka infusions are pretty easy, just add whatever takes your fancy to a bottle of vodka (minus a few shots), shake every day, leave in a cool cupboard for 2 - 4 weeks, than strain and replace in the bottle. Stewing a few stalks of rhubarb with a bit of sugar and a split vanilla bean, or just a vanilla bean, or about 150g of chopped caramels and a pinch of salt; all delicious! Now that I think of it, we tried a popular drink in Estonia - vanilla vodka and cloudy apple juice - surprisingly more-ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Hi Christina. In my time in the liquor industry I've been lucky enough to be invited to a lot of educational sessions about many forms of liquor. One such invite was to a macerated fruit infused vodka educational session. When done right, the infusion of properly macerating fruit into a liquid, vodka in the session I attended, tastes awesome. The flavour was head & shoulders above anything artificial or any 'dumbed down' versions I've tasted over the years. Maybe you're already following similar practices, but maybe you're not. I hope the info is helpful. Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 Hi Lusty, The world of infusing fruit in distilled spirits is just catching my attention now. I think I am going to enjoy exploring it. Do you do it yourself Lusty? I will be adding the simple syrup to my Orange Liqueur later today. Very curious. On a related topic, I started making shrubs not long ago. Shrubs are fruit syrups made by macerating fruit with sugar, soaking for a few days, then straining out the fruit and adding vinegar. You mix a shot of the resulting syrup with some sparkling water or club soda to make non-alcoholic cocktails. Also very good. http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/06/cocktail-101-how-to-make-shrub-syrups.html Cheers, Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 I do this all the time. Lemons, limes and coffee from the garden all get a go. Very easy and very tasty. I make a thicker syrup - 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water and use that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted November 29, 2017 Author Share Posted November 29, 2017 I do this all the time. Lemons' date=' limes and coffee from the garden all get a go.Very easy and very tasty.[/quote'] Must be cool to have lemons, limes, and coffee growing in your garden! I am jealous. I make a thicker syrup - 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water and use that. Thanks for the tip. Just had a taste of my liqueur and while the orange and spice flavour is lovely, I find it a bit sweet and a bit weak (in terms of alcohol). Think I will make the syrup like you do next time, and dose by taste. Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Thanks for the tip. Just had a taste of my liqueur and while the orange and spice flavour is lovely' date=' I find it a bit sweet and a bit weak (in terms of alcohol). [/quote'] It's the way to go for sure. As for the garden - we love it. Pawpaw, mango, avocado, banana, apple (birds got them all), pepper, passionfruit, ginger, galangal, herbs and more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Hi Christina, I sampled some of my wife's kumquat liqueur this week. A bit over 2 years ago she filled a few 1 litre jars with kumquats from our tree, then and added sugar syrup and topped up with vodka. After 6 months she strained off the fruit into other vessels. When I tried it at a year of age it still tasted a bit sweet, but now it is so good. Kumquat has to be one of the best citrus! Cheers, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 Cool John. Thanks for letting me know. I have never tasted kumquats. They are a specialty item here. I am going to try making some liqueur this summer with chokecherries. They grow very abundantly here, in the ditch. Think I will try making chokecherry wine too. I like working with ingredients I can get for free, from nature. Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Captain!! Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Hey Christina, So it’s officially summer in your part of the world. Are the chokeberries out yet? Have you made any fruity liqueur’s yet??? Captain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Hi Captain. No, not yet, it is too early; they just finished flowering. Thanks for asking though. It is on my to do list. Spring is very late this year. We had a late frost. They say will reduce all kinds of fruit harvests, such as blueberries, strawberries, and apples. Not sure about the chokecherries. On a slightly different topic, we are in the midst of rhubarb season, which is always the first crop of the season in these parts. I am trying to make some rhubarb-strawberry wine for the first time. Curious about that. Rhubarb is in the freezer and just waiting for the strawberries. I hear it takes a couple of years of aging, but the recipe I am using says "ready in six weeks." Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Hmm, maybe I will trying making some rhubarb liqueur / gin too, just in case it really does take two years for the wine to age. Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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