Rula has some liquid ideas for Christmas

Hello, my people!

Long time, no see! Ever since Stacy stopped doing her weekly radio show — that lazy girl — I have missed my weekly interaction with my fans from Santa Fe and around the world. So what have I been doing? My hair, my nails, the man who shovels my walk. In other words, I have been busy spreading holiday cheer! In between my community work and my intellectual pursuits, I have also been a busy bee, making holiday gifts for my inner circle of consultants, spiritual advisors, and "Yes Men." Here are a few of the liquid items I have made so far:

Pecan Infused Bourbon

Ingredients
1 750-ml bottle of decent quality Bourbon
2 cups pecans
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Cayenne

Procedure
Soak the pecans in water for 30 minutes and then drain the water out. Lay the nuts out on a baking sheet and sprinkle the salt, pepper and cayenne over the nuts and the place the tray in the oven for at 300. This brings out some of the oils in the nuts and helps the nuts absorb the flavor of the spices. Remove after 20 minutes and let cool. Then place all of the nuts in a bell jar and fill to top with Bourbon. Seal and store for 1 week, stirring or shaking each day. When done, strain back into the empty bourbon bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Aquavit

Ingredients
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 cardamom pods, crushed
2 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh dill
The rind of one lemon
1 750-ml bottle of vodka, such as Absolut or Svedka
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Procedure
Toast the caraway, fennel, cardamom, black peppercorns in a small frying pan over medium heat, shaking occasionally until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemon. Avoid removing the white pith; set the peels aside. Remove about 2 tablespoons of the vodka from the bottle. Either drink it or discard it. Place the toasted spices, lemon and orange peels, and sugar into the bottle. Cover tightly.Let the vodka infuse at room temperature (choose a spot that is neither too warm nor too cold) for 2 weeks, turning and gently shaking the bottle once a day. After 2 weeks, taste the aquavit; let it stand longer as needed. Strain the aquavit through a fine-mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup; discard the solids. Transfer the strained aquavit to a clean bottle with a tight fitting lid and store it in the freezer.

Serrano and Tangerine infused Vodka

Ingredients
1 tangerine
1 750-ml bottle of medium quality Vodka
1 Serrano Chile
Procedure
Remove 2 tablespoons of vodka and drink it darling! Then zest the tangerine and put the peels in the jar of vodka
Clean Serrano chile, remove the seeds and cut into strips, you might want to wear gloves for this then add it to the bottle! Let the vodka sit for a minimum of seven days. Then check to see if the desired heat has been reached.
Strain and reserve.

So, my little elves, do any of you like to give beverages as gifts? Or is that something you prefer not to share with others? Let us know in the comments! Well, it's back to the mistletoe-strewn streets of Williamsburg for me — I have eggs to nog! Ciao!