Read Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits: Innovative Flavor Combinations, Plus Homemade Versions of Kahlúa, Cointreau, and Other Popular Liqueurs for Free Online

fruition.

    Poached Pear
    Pears ripen delicately; miss the peak and their flesh turns grainy, but harvest too soon and you get something closer to an apple, crisp and tart with barely any perfume. Hence the popularity of poached pears. Poaching adds sweetness and aromatics. It softens underripe crisp fibers and increases juiciness. This fragrant liqueur attempts to capture the charm of lightly poached pears without having to turn on the stove. As with all liqueurs, all you have to do is throw everything together and wait.
    Makes about 1 quart
Ingredients
6 ripe pears, stemmed and finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 ⁄ 2 orange
1 cinnamon stick, cracked
1 vanilla bean, split
2 cups vodka (80–100 proof)
2 1 ⁄ 2 cups dry vermouth (18% ABV)
1 cup Simple Syrup
Instructions
1. Muddle the pears with a wooden spoon in a half-gallon jar. Add the lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon stick, vanilla, vodka, and vermouth; stir to moisten everything.
2. Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of poached pear, about 7 days.
3. Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
4. Stir in the simple syrup.
5. Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
    L’chaim! Serve chilled in a small wineglass.

    Always Apricot
    Pronounced, à la French, ah-pree-COH , this unapologetic liqueur embodies the tangy soul of the plushest member of the drupe fruit clan (fruits with a pit). It is not complex in flavor, except for the overwhelming sensation of apricot meandering around your cranium with every sip. Its apricotiness is enhanced by the addition of almond extract, a flavor essence taken from the kernel that lies inside the pit of every drupe fruit.
    Makes about 1 quart
Ingredients
1 fifth (750 ml/3 1 ⁄ 4 cups) light rum (80 proof)
24 dried apricot halves, finely chopped
1 cup Simple Syrup
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Instructions
1. Muddle the rum and apricots with a wooden spoon in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten the fruit.
2. Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of apricot, 3 to 5 days.
3. Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
4. Stir in the simple syrup and almond extract.
5. Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
    Bottoms Up! Sip as a tangy alternative to Amaretto.

    Apricardamom
    This sultry liaison of cardamom and apricot will send the hedonistic soul into a swoon. The eucalyptic cardamom leaps up as lively as a Marrakech marketplace, while the lush apricot soothes like velvet. Pour yourself another shot. You’re in for a helluva night.
    Makes about 1 quart
Ingredients
1 fifth (750 ml/3 1 ⁄ 4 cups) vodka (80–100 proof)
15 dried apricot halves, finely chopped
20 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 cup Simple Syrup
Instructions
1. Muddle the vodka, apricots, and cardamom with a wooden spoon in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything.
2. Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of apricot and cardamom, 3 to 5 days.
3. Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid.
4. Stir in the simple syrup.
5. Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
    Prost! Muddle a sprig of thyme in a highball glass, fill with ice, add 2 ounces Apricardamom, and top with ginger ale.

    Drupe Fruit Complex
    Drupe fruits encompass all members of the genus Prunus , including apricot, peach, plum, and cherry, as well as some less fruity fruits such as olive, coffee, and almond. All drupes have meaty flesh surrounding a hard-shelled pit, and all possess a lush fruitiness. This redolent fruit liqueur possesses the luxurious intensity of the group, without allowing any one specimen to dominate. In keeping with the