How to Make Holiday Flavored Vodka
I've always wanted to make my own flavored vodka without the extra food dye. Where does it dictate that a strawberry vodka needs to be red anyway? Elizabeth has made her own pumpkin vodkda before, I had just seen a flavor guide in Martha Stewart Living (Jan 2011), and we still had all of the liquor from the wedding. I knew it was time.
Martha and her ever crafty minions suggest 1.5 C of vodka combined with the additions of your choice, mixed in an air tight jar, and left for 2-3 days. While the magazine suggested things like 1/2 celery stalk, 2 celery leaves, and 1 bay leaf, I had holiday flavors on my mind.
Bring on the cranberries. It's the holidays.
Cranberry Lemon Vodka
- 1.5-2 C Vodka
- 1/3 C fresh cranberries, lightly squished (still keep their shape, but are open)
- Slices of 1/2 small lemon
Directions
- Add vodka to a mason jar.
- Take fresh cranberries between thumb and index finger and push lightly. This will 'pop' the cranberries to release their flavor in the vodka, but make it easy for you to keep particles out. Add to jar.
- Slice lemon rounds and add to jar.
- Seal the jar and give it a few good shakes. Put the jar somewhere cool and wait 3 days, occasionally shaking.
- Serving suggestion: Mix with seltzer and let the cranberries be poured in for drunken fruit.
The flavor is bright and fruity without added sugar and dyes from typical drink mixes. Now that's something to celebrate. Cheers!