I’m dreaming of boooooozy christmas!

It’s going to be a mostly homemade/handmade Christmas around here.  And I hear you groaning now “NOOOOOOO, IT’S TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT CHRISTMAS!!!” , but I say NO IT ISN’T.  Not if you’re planning it right.  I’m knitting something for just about every member of the family.  Those gifts are well underway – hats, scarves, a pair of socks – all flying off the needles for the past two months now.  Because I am that good.

You don’t care about that, though.  What YOU care about is what ELSE I’m making for christmas.  The boooooooze…

I made cranberry vodka a few years ago, after reading something about it online.  Seemed pretty easy and fun, and while you have to plan ahead (since it needs to sit for a at least a few weeks), the initial investment of supplies and time is minimal.  I made one bottle and took it to my parents’ house for christmas, thinking we’d drink a little, then I’d bring it back home for us to enjoy here.  Instead my mom stole the bottle and basically hoarded it for herself until it was all gone.

Spooky, mom.

Anyway, fruit booze is easy and fun, doesn’t require any special equipment, and as long as you have space on your counter and patience, you too can turn your mom into a fruity alcholic!

This year, I’ve decided to mix it up – I want to make cranberry orange spice vodka.  Sounds festive, right?  Right.  Let’s begin.

Zest of 5 or 6 oranges. I used a vegetable peelers and tried avoid the pith as much as possible

4 packages of cranberries.  How much is that?  I don’t know – google it!

I squeezed the juice of two of the oranges in here, just enough liquid to get things started.

Then add the orange peels

And two cups of sugar.  This is going to help the cranberries pop, and also make the resulting booze sweeter and not tongue-numblingly puckerish from the cranberries.

Cook over medium high heat until most of the cranberries have popped.  Stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.  You can have a taste now to make sure there’s nothing funky going on – should taste like fancy cranberry sauce!

You want a large, clean, glass vessel.  You can use mason jars, even.  I have these large glass storage jars that work nicely.  Let the cranberries cool down a bit, then scoop them into the jar.

Do not be buying the super fancy vodka.  But don’t buy rotgut, either.  I wanted at least a triple distilled -this stuff was quadruple distilled!  Score!

Dump in two large bottles of vodka.

Put on lid and…let sit.

I will be bottling this just before Thanksgiving, since I want to drive up a couple bottles while we’re up there for Turkey day.  Christmas will be spent with the in-laws, and I’m pretty sure I can’t mail this stuff!

About a week before I bottle, I’m going to throw in a couple cinnamon sticks.  I’m not putting them in now, because I want it to be a more subtle flavor,  and not hit you over the head with ZOMG CINNAMON!!!!!

I would say minimum two weeks for letting your cranberry vodka infuse, but the longer it sits, the better it will be.

Serving suggestions:

Over ice – tart!

Mixed with club soda – refreshing

Mixed with hot apple cider – toasty warm!

I have some apples I plan on making apple cinnamon vodka with, so stay tuned for those results.  Happy imbibing!