MoFo 13: Moonshine Monday II

Cranberry Liqueur - Day 1
Originally uploaded by Marni Molina

I was up in the air as to what flavor liqueur I would use to introduce the whole liqueur-making process. I knew it'd have to be an easy recipe made from something in season that would make for good holiday gifts. When I saw some gorgeous cranberries in the market the other day, I knew they were perfect.

Cranberry Liqueur

Recipe adapted from Cordials from Your Kitchen by Pattie Vargas & Rich Gulling

• 1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries (about 3 1/2 cups), picked over and washed
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 2 cups 80-proof vodka
  
• 2 teaspoons tart citrus zest (lemon, lime, or grapefruit)

1. Pulse the cranberries a couple times in your food processor (or blender) until coarsely chopped and dump 'em in your clean, half-gallon mason jar. Add the sugar, stir, and let stand about an hour. Add the water, vodka, and zest. Cover jar with a couple layers of cling wrap, screw lid on top, and give it a good shake. Write instructions along with all applicable dates on a paper and tape it to the outside of the jar.
   
2. Store liqueur in cool, dry place (like a pantry or closet) and over the next month, shake every 2 or 3 days to prevent clumping and redistribute ingredients.

This recipe produces a lovely liqueur with a beautiful color. You can drink it straight or make all sorts of drinks with it, including some awesome cranberry martinis. If you are going to give your liqueur as a gifts, start looking for bottles to repackage it in when the time is right. You don't have to buy them, all sorts of bottle can be repurposed for pretty gift-giving presentations.

Next Moonshine Monday, I'll cover what to do at the end of the first month, but this should get you started.