It’s no big secret that we love a good cocktail here at Capital Spice. Consequently, several of our cookbooks are actually collections of cocktails. From the classics to the most eccentric, we’ve got our libations covered. On our recent trip to San Francisco, though, a visit to Chronicle Books turned up a book that I just couldn’t resist.
Infused: 100+ Recipes for Infused Liqueurs and Cocktails focuses on just what you’d think it does. Ever since my failed attempt to make bourbacon, I’ve been eager to try my hand at making some homemade infusions to use in cocktails. I snatched up the book and brought it home.
Since our June Cookbook Challenge applies to all of our recipe books, I decided there was no time quite like the present to try my hand at an infusion. With some beautiful basil growing out on our deck (thanks to the folks at Shenandoah Growers, who sent us some of their organic “Living Culinary Herbs” to try for ourselves), I knew that I wanted to attempt a basil-infused vodka.
Taking a bottle of Absolut 100 that we bought with the intention of making our own limoncello, I poured the contents into a clean half-gallon Mason jar. To this, I added one cup of lightly packed basil leaves that I rinsed and dried.
And that was pretty much all there was to it. I left the bottle in a cool, dark place to steep for 24 hours before opening the jar up and pouring the contents through a coffee filter. The bright green color that the vodka had taken on was striking, and the vegetative, musky aroma of the basil was unmistakable.
With the vodka strained, I poured it back into its original bottle using a funnel (Thank you, Georgetown, for teaching me such valuable skills). The bottle went back into its cool, dark hiding place for another week to further enhance its flavor.
We put the liqueur to the test with some friends this past weekend – inviting them over for a drink that involved the basil vodka, muddled strawberries, and rosemary-balsamic simple syrup. The high alcohol content of the Absolut 100 gave it a bit of an alcoholic burn, but the balance of sweet and savory flavors made for a great time.
We’ve still got plenty of basil vodka left…anyone for a Bloody Mary brunch?
June 25, 2009 at 1:18 pm
You need to give us the recipe that you used! It sounds delicious. I think I can make the basil infused vodka based on your description here – but have NO IDEA what to do with it from that point forward. Perhaps served on the rocks with some garlic-pinenut crostini and a hunk of parmesan? Sort of a basil pesto first course?
June 25, 2009 at 3:48 pm
The drink we made over the weekend was more eyeballed than recipe…but I would say it was probably something like this:
1 1/2 ounce basil vodka
1 1/2 ounce rosemary-balsamic syrup*
3 ounces ginger ale
muddled strawberries
Serve in a rocks glass with or without ice
* = Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 sprig rosemary in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, discard rosemary.