Rule #1: Don’t
Poison Yourself or Your Friends
While steeping your own infusions doesn’t usually carry
the hefty food-poisoning prospects that most home-canning can,
you do need to be careful. Use high-proof liquor, like vodka.
Inspect your fruit, and discard any pieces that aren’t
perfect. Use impeccably clean hands, bowls, and utensils, and
sterilize your containers by boiling them. Use all your common
senses; if your infusion looks funky or smells like you wouldn’t
want to drink it, don’t.
Most cookbooks consulted agreed the general rule is that
most cordials, when stored in a cool, dark place, will keep
indefinitely. For extra safety, keep them in the fridge. When
in doubt, contact your local agricultural extension service
for more information on the safety of specific ingredients.
It probably doesn’t need to be said, but for those adventurous
types out there, stay away from meat, eggs, etc. Besides,
you probably won’t get many takers for a chicken martini
at your next cocktail party.
Rule #2: If You Like it, Chances Are,
Others Will Too
Use what’s in season. Want to make peach brandy? Go
pick your own at the end of the summer and let the fruit sit
on the counter until it hits peak ripeness. (Keep an eye on
it, though. There’s a fine line between super-ripe and
super-rot.) And, don’t rule out savory and spicy ingredients.
Use dried Chinese chilis for a hot pepper vodka (the longer
these steep, the hotter your drink will get) to use in Bloody
Marys, or soak fresh basil in vodka to add a last-minute splash
of garden flavor to spaghetti sauce.
While old standbys like vodka work marvelously, you can use
almost any high-proof liquor, including tequila, rum, or gin.
The more neutral your choice, the more your fruit’s
pure flavor will shine through. Not sure if you’ll like
it? Test your ideas by making up a mini batch before you brew.
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