Infused Spirits

The first time I ever had cocktail with herbs in it, was in Las Vegas...at a restaurant called Boa in Caesars.  I had a lovely cocktail before dinner.

I decided, it was time to venture out and try to create my own.  A few herbs, a few jars and some gin...and it's time to get started.

The gin I had on hand was New Amsterdam.  This is a good dirty martini making gin.  I keep it on hand in the freezer to enjoy a drink or two on occasion.

Step 1:

Make sure your infusing containers are clean. And then dry.

 a nice soak in some hot soapy water

 a good scrub

 a rise in some more hot water

 a drain

 more draining

Dry with a clean towel (paper of fabric)

Step 2

Prepare your herbs.  Fresh herbs are a fabulous culinary ingrediant...they should be used in everyday cooking as needed.  Check out this fresh herb website for tips and to answer any questions.  I used fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh mint and dried lavender.  Fresh lavender would  probably be better, but I only had dried on hand.  

My Herb Pot on my porch - Rosemary, Parsley, Mint and Thyme

Fresh herbs are the best.  If you
can keep a pot in your kitchen, a window sill or outside on the porch those are the best to you.  Fresh picked and ready to go with a quick bath and a chop or crush.

Rosemary is by far my favorite herb.  I think I would sleep with it under my pillow if I could.  I use it faster than I can grow it....

Mint might do best in its own pot, mine is taking over this pot.  It might be time to transplant and have two pots going on my porch...
 

Upclose and personal with my herbs...

Break large pieces and lightly crush herbs with your hands



break larger pieces in half

Make sure to give fresh herbs a quick bath

Rub the herbs in your hands to release the fragrance

Every day, for at LEAST a week, give the jars a good hake.  I also turn them over and set them on their tops for a few minutes.  I don't let them sit upside down for very long, since they aren't sealed totally.  I don't want them to leak,  If you have screw top jars, you can leave them upside down each day and just keep turning them over.

Shake, Shake, Shake 

After a week, give them a taste and you can use them in any drink that strikes your fancy.  As the level of the jars decreased, push the remaining herbs down in the alcohol or start to remove them, so they are always submerged.

Resting

NOTE: If the alcohol begins to taste to strong, just strain out the herbs...the alcohol should keep a long, long time.  If it lasts that long..

CHEERS!