Home-made Digestif

I recently stumbled upon an article describing a method to make digestifs. I thought this would be an excellent way to begin my bootlegging career (although we are not actually fermenting alcohol, so don’t worry about legality). I found this process to be simple and very rewarding. While the process takes over a week, there is only about forty five minutes of actual preparation involved.

Since I bought a 750ml bottle of 100-proof vodka, I decided to try two different flavors: mandarin and basil. Technically, mandarin is not a true digestif because it is not considered a carminative, an herb that is thought to prevent the formation of gas. However, basil is a carminative (so are tarragon, fennel and anise) and is therefore considered a true digestif. Below is the recipe for the mandarin digestif. For the basil recipe, click here.

Mandarin Orange Digestif

5 mandarin oranges
2 cups 100 proof vodka (I used Stoli 100 proof)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water

1. Remove the peel from the mandarin using your hands. Try to remove the peel in large sections.
2. Lay the peel flat on a cutting board, pith side up. Take a sharp paring knife and remove as much of the pith as possible by sliding the knife between the pith and the peel (see picture).
3. Place the peel in a 1-quart mason jar and add the vodka. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let steep for 7 days at room temperature, agitating once a day.
4. After 7 days, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or fine sieve into a clean 1-quart mason jar.
5. Combine sugar in water into a medium saucepan over high heat to make simple syrup. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved completely in the water (the water will become clear again). Note that the sugar may dissolve before the water begins to boil. Remove immediately and let cool to room temperature.
6. DO NOT POUR THE ENTIRE SIMPLE SYRUP MIXTURE INTO THE VODKA. Start by adding 1 cup of the simple syrup. Stir the mixture and taste. You should taste the mandarin and sugar followed by a little burn of alcohol. Add more simple syrup if needed. Do not over sweeten, as the alcohol burn will be reduced as the mixture thickens in the freezer.
7. Put a tight-fitting lid on the mason jar and store in the freezer for twenty four hours before drinking. The mixture will thicken. More simple syrup can be added if the alcohol burn is too noticeable.