Food & Drink
Home entertaining for the holidays
Winter 2010 |
(CNW) This holiday season 71 percent of Canadians will be hosting events at home to unite family and friends, according to a new Angus Reid survey commissioned by Baileys Original Irish Cream. The survey also revealed that 77 percent of hosts serve their guests alcoholic drinks at their holiday events, a good reminder for people to enjoy the season responsibly. From the Winter 2010 edition Great Fakes Homemade liqueurs taste great and require no special equipment to make. BY DANA YOUNG Fancy liqueurs come in a variety of beautiful bottles at the LCBO and they are usually rather pricey. Many of us only buy them as gifts or for special occasions. Limoncello Coffee Liqueur #1 Coffee Liqueur #2 Irish Cream Creme de Menthe Caribbean Orange Liquer
•It is a good idea to pre-mix holiday cocktails to ensure they are delicious and perfectly prepared.
•Offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages. Coffee, tea, water and juice are great options, and can be garnished to look extra special.
•Make sure to serve some food so that people can snack throughout the evening and slow down the absorption of alcohol. Serve hearty food like grilled meat, cheeses, sliders and gourmet pizzas, but stay away from deep-fried foods and salty snacks as they will make guests thirsty.
•Ensure that all guests get home safely. Make sure they take a taxi home, have a designated driver or have an extra bed prepared so they can spend the night.
But it is easy and inexpensive (and legal) to make your own at home for holiday entertaining, and you can always save some for after-dinner sipping during the cold winter months.
Save your fancy bottles and bottle them as gifts for the holidays. Most homemade liqueurs start with vodka. This spirit is an ideal base for liqueurs because it's colourless and flavourless, making it the perfect blank canvas.
10 lemon
1 litre vodka
3 cups white sugar
4 cups water
Zest the lemons, and place zest into a large glass bottle or jar. Pour in vodka. Cover loosely and let infuse for one week at room temperature. After one week, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Do not stir. Boil for 15 minutes. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature.
Stir vodka mixture into syrup. Strain into glass bottles, and seal each bottle with a cork. Let mixture age for two weeks at room temperature. Place bottled liqueur into the freezer. When icy cold, serve in chilled vodka glasses or shot glasses.
10 tblsp instant coffee
4 tblsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar (or less, if desired)
1 750 ml bottle of vodka
2 1/2 cups water
Combine coffee, sugar and water. Simmer one hour and let cool. Add vanilla and vodka. Age in sealed jar for two to three weeks before transferring to gift bottles.
or
2 cups hot coffee
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 cups vodka
2 tblsp vanilla extract
Add the sugar to hot coffee, and mix until dissolved. Let cool and add the vodka and vanilla. Transfer liquid to a bottle. Age in sealed jar for two to three weeks before transferring to gift bottles.
1 cup whipping cream
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-3/4 cup Irish whiskey
2 tblsp chocolate syrup
3 eggs
1 can (300 ml) or one cup sweetened condensed milk
Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on lowest setting until frothy or well blended. Pour into bottles, seal and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
8 cups sugar
6 cups water
1 cup alcohol or vodka
1 oz. pure peppermint extract
1 tblsp green food colouring (if desired)
Bring sugar and water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and let ripen for one month.
3 large oranges
3 cups vodka
1 1/3 cup sugar
Pare very thinly the bright-colored rind from the oranges (no white). Blot the peel on paper towels to remove any excess oil. Put peel in a 4 cup screw-top jar. Add two cups vodka. Close jar. Store in a cool, dark place for two days or until the vodka has absorbed the flavor. Remove peel and add remaining vodka. Close jar and add remaining cup of vodka. Close the jar and store in a cool dark place at least one month to age.
