See also: Chow Bella's Gift Guide for the Aspiring Bartender See also: Make Puerto Rican Egg Nog Now, Enjoy It Later
I'm officially committed to making all of my gifts this year. I blame Pinterest. And while I don't expect you to make everything yourself too, I do urge you to explore a little. It's fun and people appreciate it. Especially if that handmade gift is in the form of alcohol!
During the next few weeks, I will share more Pinterest inspired things that are sure to please the people on your gift list. These came first because one of these recipes must sit for at least two weeks.
The best thing about making your own liqueurs is being able to control the ingredients. There are no ingredient labels on liqueur bottles, so who knows what the heck is in them? If you're into knowing what you're ingesting, this is definitely the way to go.
Irish cream is probably one of the most popular holiday beverages... probably because you can drink it for breakfast. This recipe from 52 Kitchen Adventures looks awesome. The author even made her own chocolate syrup! I also appreciate that it's ready to drink as soon as you make it.
I'm really excited to try this homemade amaretto from Eat Boutique. I haven't had amaretto in over 15 years, since I used to combine the commercial syrupy stuff with commercial apple juice. Gross! I know. I really want to know if the homemade stuff is better than store bought. I sure as heck hope so. Though this time I think I'll go for an amaretto sour - I've never had one!
Finally, my favorite - coffee liqueur! I really, really wanted to try the recipe from Saveur, but it has to sit for over a month, which sabotages my intention to give it as a gift. I chose to include it here anyway because it's too good to pass up. It begins with a month long infusion of espresso and vanilla beans in vodka. That sounds good just like that...
If you do want to have coffee liqueur in time for the 25th or 31st, try this recipe from Veronica's Cornucopia. It's ready in only two weeks.
