Flavorful Spirits

A couple of years ago a friend of mine told me to come and check out the bar he was managing in my neighborhood. I went on a weekday so we could catch up and talk about the bar business, especially him becoming a manager at such a young age {he was 23!}.

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He poured me a drink made with a vodka he had sort of created himself, as he turned an inexpensive bottle and added kafir lime, lemon grass, and basil to it. The drink was delicious as he prepared it with a little bit of sparkling water, pineapple juice and a bit of simple syrup.

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Since then I have experimented a little with infused spirits to make some recipes more fun. Unlike infused oils, you can put almost anything into the spirit of your choice without worrying that it will go bad because the high percentage of alcohol will preserve the infusing agent {not a technical term but you get the idea}.

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The best spirits to use are the clear ones like vodka, gin and tequila {never used the last one but heard it turns out good}. If you want to experiment with different flavors  prepare small batches at a time using a spirit that is not too expensive and if you like the result then you can splurge.

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For the last days of summer try flavors that are in season like pineapple or strawberries to prepare a refreshing cocktail to spend the summer nights outside. Or if you are somewhere where it's cold, how about some herbs or winter berries and make a cocktail to enjoy the rain with.

Have a great day!