BANANA LIQUEUR
The tastiest banana will have a bright yellow peel and no discolored areas (indicates a bruise). Bananas should never be refrigerated.
2 medium bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups vodka
1 cup sugar syrup
Mash peeled bananas and add to vodka, cooled sugar syrup, and vanilla. Shake gently and let sit 1 week. Strain and filter. Let sit longer for additional flavoring, but may be used now. Experiment with cinnamon or nutmeg.
YIELD: 1 QUART
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
BLUEBERRY LIQUEUR
Blueberries can be bought from May to September. Avoid stained baskets and do not rinse until ready to use (if freezing, do so before rinsing). Rinse with cool water.
3 cups fresh berries (blueberries or blackberries)
1 clove
½ cup sugar syrup to taste
2 cups vodka
1 lemon wedge, scraped peel
Rinse berries and lightly crush. Add vodka, lemon peel, and clove. Pour in dark bottle and store for 3–4 months. Strain through dampened cheesecloth squeezing out as much juice as possible. Add sugar syrup to taste and store another 4 weeks. Liqueur will tend to be on the watery side. Try adding glycerine if a thicker consistency is desired. Good for baking.
YIELD: 3 CUPS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
Start looking for cherries from late April to August with June as the peak of the season. Pick plump, shiny, well-colored fruit with green stems, avoiding dark-colored stems. Do not rinse until use. Cherries are highly perishable so use as soon as ripe.
½ pound Bing cherries
½ pound granulated sugar
2 cups vodka
Wash, stem, and towel dry cherries and place in jar. Pour sugar over the cherries, following with the vodka. Unlike the other recipes, do not mix them. Cover with lid and store on shelf for 3 months without disturbing, then strain. Ready to serve. Recipe can be varied with extracts (chocolate, mint, orange, etc.,). Add approximately 1 teaspoon of extract to finished liqueur and let sit another few weeks. Experiment with small portions of flavorings to find your desired taste.
YIELD: 3 CUPS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
CRANBERRY LIQUEUR
You’ll find fresh cranberries from September to December. Look for bright, plump berries, avoiding soft, crushed, or shriveled ones. They will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks (can also be frozen), but do not wash them until ready for use as moisture will make them spoil.
1 pound fresh cranberries
1⅛ cups vodka
1⅛ cups sugar syrup*
½ orange wedge, scraped peel
Rinse cranberries and chop in blender. Combine all ingredients in jar and steep for 4–5 weeks. Strain and filter. Ready to serve — an excellent treat for Thanksgiving and the holidays!
*Cranberries can tend to have a bitter taste occasionally; more sugar syrup can be added during the first steep or after. Let sit an additional week.
YIELD: 1 PINT PLUS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
Look for firm, heavy oranges which indicates lots of juice, and smooth-skinned ones free from soft spots or mold.
4 medium oranges*
1 vanilla bean
2–3 cups vodka
1 cup brandy
1 cup sugar syrup
Wash and peel oranges making sure to scrape ALL white rind from the peels to avoid bitter flavor. Add to liquor and vanilla bean. Steep 2–3 weeks, strain and filter. Add sugar syrup and let age for 4 weeks.
*The entire orange may also be used. Cut oranges into wedges and follow instructions. Gives opportunity to use tangerines, tangelos, or mandarin oranges. Cognac or brandy may be used as the base liquor and additional spices or extracts can be added.
YIELD: 1 QUART PLUS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH ½ OR 1 GALLON JAR
PAPAYA LIQUEUR
May and June are when you will find papayas the most plentiful and least expensive. Look for a medium-sized papaya (slightly larger than a pear) with smooth, unbruised skin, and a fruity aroma. Dark spots on the skin are a bad sign and will cause a bad flavor (check stem for decay and oversoftness).
1 papaya
1 cup vodka
1 small lemon wedge, scraped peel
¼ cup sugar syrup (optional, taste first)
Cut papaya in half, remove seeds, and peel skin. Cut in medium chunks and place in vodka with lemon peel (twist to release flavor). Let steep for 1 week. Strain and squeeze fruit, extracting juice. If desired, add sugar syrup. Store for 3 weeks.
YIELD: 1 PINT
CONTAINER: QUART JAR
The Bartlett pear is the best to use for liqueur making. It is juicy, sweet, and smooth, available from mid-July through early November. Avoid ones with cuts, bruises, dark spots, or decay.
½ pound pears
1½ cups vodka, rum, or brandy
½ cup sugar syrup
pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg
1 clove
1 coriander seed
1 apple (optional)
Slice pears (and apple if desired) and add to other ingredients, adding sugar syrup last. Stir gently and steep 3 weeks. Strain and filter. Taste and adjust flavor by adding more fruit or sugar syrup if needed. Steep 3–4 weeks, then strain. Ready for use. Other fruits can be combined with pears to create a different taste.
YIELD: 1½ PINTS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH ½ GALLON JAR
PEACH LIQUEUR
Look for peaches from early May to mid-September with July and August as the peak months. You’ll want yellow or cream-colored peaches. Avoid green ones as they won’t ripen at home.
12 medium-sized peaches
4 strips lemon peel, scraped
1 stick cinnamon
3 cups vodka
1 cup sugar syrup
Peel peaches and cut in quarters. Combine with vodka, lemon peels, and spices in covered jar and store for 1–2 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain fruit (squeezing as much juice as possible) and filter. Add sugar syrup and store for an additional 6 weeks.
YIELD: 1 LITER
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH GALLON JAR
2 cups smashed apricots pits
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground coriander
2 cups 100 proof vodka
1 cup sugar syrup
Partially fill a cloth bag (old pillowcase perhaps) with the apricot pits. Pound with a hammer until they are smashed, using the crushed shell as well as the meaty center. Place smashed pits in a 1-quart container. Add cinnamon, coriander, and vodka. Store for two months in a cool, dark place. Filter through a cheesecloth lined strainer (or similar) and discard fruit pits. Strain a few times until clear. Sweeten with sugar syrup and age for two weeks.
This recipe is for the inventive cook and requires some fine- tuning, but offers a feeling of accomplishment when done. Apricot extract can be added to offer additional flavoring.
YIELD: 3 CUPS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH LITER JAR
RASPBERRY LIQUEUR
Although July is the best month to buy raspberries, they can also be plentiful in May and June. Avoid stained baskets (sign of overripe or softened and decayed berries), and do not wash until ready to use as water causes mold to form. Berries should be full colored and plump.
1 pint fresh raspberries
2½ cups vodka
1 vanilla bean
¼ teaspoon whole allspice
⅓–½ cup sugar syrup
Rinse berries and place in mixing bowl, lightly crushing to release flavor. Add vodka, vanilla bean, and allspice. Stir and store in bottle in cool, dark place for 3 weeks. Strain mixture through dampened cheesecloth squeezing as much juice as possible. Pour back in bottle adding sugar syrup (to taste) and age another 3–5 weeks.
YIELD: 1 PINT PLUS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
Pineapples are generally available all year-round — March to June will have the greatest supply. It’s best to buy the largest one you can find as it will have more meat. Look for yellow to golden orange color for sweet tasting meat. Avoid greenish color, bruises, discolored areas, soft spots, or dried out brown leaves.
2 cups fresh pineapple
2 cups vodka
½ cup sugar syrup
Slice pineapple and combine with vodka in jar. Steep for 1 week. Strain and squeeze juice from pineapple (as much as possible). Filter a few times until liquid is smooth and pulp free. Add sugar syrup to taste. Pineapple juice may be added for additional taste if desired. Age 1 month.
YIELD: 3 CUPS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
Plums can be found from mid-May to August. Choose rich colored ones ranging from fairly firm to slightly soft. Avoid immature ones that are hard, shriveled, or poorly colored and overmature ones that are soft, bruised, or split.
1½ pounds fresh plums
2 cups vodka
1½ cups sugar syrup
pinch of cinnamon
Halve and pit plums and combine in jar with vodka (gin may be used also), sugar syrup, and cinnamon. Cover and invert jar daily until sugar is dissolved (about 4 days). Place in cool, dark place for 2, preferably, 3 months. Occasionally shake gently. Strain. Ready to serve.
YIELD: 3 CUPS PLUS
CONTAINER: WIDE MOUTH QUART JAR
