Cocktail Party Preview

I have been working on a batch of infused vodkas for a cocktail party on Saturday. Also have been working on perfecting some cocktail recipes. Here are a few cocktails on the menu for Saturday night:

• Bacon-Chocolate Shot
• Zollschlager
• Apple Pie
• Brimley's Breakfast
• Lemon Ginger
  
• Ginger Lemon
• Caramel Apple

Ginger Lemon

1 part ginger infused vodka
1 part mint infused vodka
2 parts lemonade

This cocktail not to be confused with Lemon Ginger.

Lemon Ginger

1 part lemon infused vodka
1 part fennel infused vodka
2 parts ginger ale

This cocktail not to be confused with Ginger Lemon.

Brimley's Breakfast

1 part oatmeal infused vodka
1 part cinnamon infused vodka
1 part honey vodka
3 parts apple cider

This cocktail reminds you of simpler times. When "Morning in America" went down smooth and creamy, and came out like toothpaste:

Caramel Apple Cocktail

2 parts caramel vodka
1 part lemon infused vodka
2 parts apple cider

Okay I haven't actually tried this yet, but don;t see how it could possibly go wrong.

Apple Pie Cocktail

1 part Cinnamon infused vodka
1 part Caramel vodka
1 part Lemon infused vodka
3 parts apple cider



If I do say so myself, I make a mean apple pie. When people insist on me giving them the recipe, I generally leave out the secret ingredient, which is the juice of one lemon squeezed over the apples after they are peeled and sliced. The lemon juice makes the apples more tart and keeps them from turning brown.

I do not generally put vodka in my apple pie. Whiskey is better. But for the purposes of this cocktail, the lemon-infused vodka does the same thing that the lemon juice does in the pie. Most apple cider from the store is too sweet, and the lemon vodka brings back the tart flavor that brings this drink together. And the caramel vodka suggests tha flavor of the sugar that turns brown on the edge of the pie pan.

Works well with sweet or hard cider.

Zollschlager

1 part Ginger infused vodka
1 part Cinnamon infused vodka
1 part Caramel vodka
1 part Fennel infused vodka
1 part Mint infused vodka
1 part Lemon infused vodka
1 part Cola

As soon as you smell the fennel infused vodka you understand the potential. The other flavors add some nice depth. I am sure we could come up with additional flavors that would continue to improve matters. The cola is not entirely necessary but adds color and a bit of sweetness.

The first thing you will note when you try this stuff is that - well - it doesn't hurt. This maybe a disappointment if you appreciate the suffering that comes along with drinking Jag shot after Jag shot. I will concede that I experienced a moment of disappointment myself. But the combination of flavors soon left me wondering what all of that suffering was worth.

Oatmeal Infused Vodka

750 ml filtered vodka
2 cups dry oatmeal
1 Tablespoon sugar
Infuse one week

This is a pleasant surprise. The taste of the uncooked oats is reminiscent of Cheerios.

In the Case

A case of freshly bottled 2008 Amador Hill hard cider. In my basement.

Corking

Soaking Corks

Empty Bottles

A five-gallon carboy holds enough to fill 25 750ml bottles.

Siphon

Cocktail Recipes for the Recession

From The New Yorker

Links

A few other ideas:

Bacon Infused Bourbon
http://www.theagitator.com/2008/08/16/how-to-baconify-your-bourbon/

Skittles Infused Vodka
http://mixthatdrink.com/skittles-vodka-tutorial/

Sedimentation in Wine or Cider

While wine or cider is fermenting, it is not unusual for some solids to settle to the bottom of the  fermentation container.  This stuff is mostly small bits of fruit and dead yeast.  This is normal and nothing to worry about.  

Here is what a five-gallon carboy of hard apple cider in my basement looked like after two months.

Siphoning the wine or cider from one container into another is an easy way to remove the sediment at the bottom.

Coffee Infused Vodka

2 cups whole coffee beans

1 liter vodka

Infuse for one to several weeks.

I talked to the head roaster at Peace Coffee to get his opinion on what sort of beans would be best to infuse in vodka. He recommended using espresso beans. He said this would best bring out the caramel and smoky flavors in the coffee.

The flavor does not disappoint. After a week the infusion smells fantastic. A nice, full flavor. Very much like drinking shots of cold-pressed coffee.

I haven't found just the right cocktail for this one yet. Came up with something I called a Pasty Pole, which is awfully nice, but I hope to come up with a signature cocktail to show this off.

Caramel Vodka

1 batch homemade caramel

1 liter vodka

This recipe uses homemade caramel. I have heard of other recipes that use caramel sauce or caramel cubes. I prefer the bite of the caramel without any dairy added.

After you remove the caramel from the stove, DON'T add the cream you would add if you were making caramel sauce. And keep in mind that the caramel is going to be VERY hot when it comes off the stove. I pour a liter of vodka into two quart jars and have these set aside ready for the caramel. You can put the vodka in some other heavy container but I wouldn't try to pour the caramel straight into the vodka bottle.

I pour half the caramel into each of my two jars of vodka. The caramel forms a hard lump on the bottom of each jar, but this dissolves fairly quickly.

This vodka is ready to drink as soon as the caramel is dissolved.

Homemade Caramel

Start with two cups of sugar and half a cup of water in a pan. Put over medium heat and stir until sugar s dissolved. Once it starts boiling, do NOT stir but just sort of swirl around in the pan. After 10 - 15 minutes the mixture will start to brown. Remove from heat when you get a nice nutty color.

The browning happen all at once, and so do keep your eye on things. And this stuff is incredibly hot when it's done, so be careful. When the caramel cools it will be hard. If you are making caramel sauce, stir in heavy cream right away.

Pasty Pole

1 part coffee infused vodka
1 part cinnamon infused vodka
1 part caramel infused vodka
2 parts milk

Use organic whole milk if you can.