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!

Jalapeño, Celery, and Dill-Infused Vodka

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
At Christmastime, I made a big batch of Aquavit — which was vodka infused with tons of herbage — and it was delicious. Since then I am an infusion maniac, when I saw this recipe I knew it was my next experiment.

Ingredients
1 liter of non-flavored vodka medium quality
1 large stalk of celery and the leaves from the center of a bunch of celery
3 Tbs chopped fresh dill
1 jalapeño (1/2 of the seeds removed)

Procedure
First prep your jalapeño. Cut into strips after removing the seeds from half of it. Next, roughly chop your celery leaves and stalk. Add your jalapeño, celery, and dill to the jar. Pour in your vodka. Seal and refrigerate for 2-5 days (depending on how strong you want the flavor to be), shaking it up a few times per day. Once the vodka has infused, strain the vegetables from the vodka and discard. Store vodka in a new bottle or just return it to your jar. Use in savory cocktails — bloody Marys and martinis maybe? Or just on the rocks with a splash of celery tonic or look up the recipe for the celery syrup I did a while back and add some of that. Yum!

Vanilla Vodka Chai Cocktail

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
This is not your usually hippy tea drink. It's full of flavor and alcohol, what more can you ask for?

Ingredients
6 oz. strong Chai Tea (I used 1 tea bag for 6 oz. water)

2 oz. vanilla vodka
3/4 oz. amaretto liqueur
1/2 oz. simple sugar
1/2 oz. half n half

Procedure
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and steep 4 tea bags for 2 to 4 minutes (following the tea directions on the box). Allow to cool and refrigerate until time of use (3 cups tea will yield 4 drinks). In a cocktail shaker or tall glass, combine ingredients and shake or stir generously. Fill glass with ice and pour drink over ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or two. Breate deeply.

Pear Pomegranate Sparkling Punch

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Last week, my friend and mixer-man Bram gave us two great Holiday punches. I too have a great punch recipe (which I did not have time for last week) so here it is!

Ingredients
1 bottle (750 ml. each) Riesling
2 cans (11.5 oz each) pear nectar
2 cups Pomegranate juice
1/2 cup triple sec
1 1/2 cups pear vodka
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups pears, thinly sliced
1 bottle (750 ml.) Gruet

Procedure
Mix all ingredients except Gruet in a pitcher. Chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day ahead. To serve, pour into a large punch bowl; add Gruet and ice cubes. Let the games begin!

Danish Mary with Celery Ice a la Martha

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
I love the cubes, I'm all about the cubes, and of course Bloody Mary type drinks are basically health food.
Ingredients
2 pounds celery, trimmed, leaves and inner stocks reserved for garnish
1 head fennel, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves and stalks reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt
3 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes with juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces aquavit or vodka
Tabasco
white horseradish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Lime wedges, for serving
Procedure
Make the celery ice: Pass celery and fennel through an electric juicer (you should have about 3 cups). Stir in lemon juice; season with salt. Pour into ice-cube trays, and freeze (up to 2 weeks).
Pass tomatoes and juice through the medium disk of a food mill or coarse sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Transfer to a pitcher, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to overnight). To assemble each cocktail, combine 3 celery ice cubes, 6 ounces tomato mixture, 1 ounce aquavit or vodka, 3 dashes hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon horseradish, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a 12-ounce glass. Serve each drink with a lime wedge and celery or fennel leaves and stalks.....or do the math and make it by the pitcher.

3 Great Drinks for Breakfast for Dinner ... or Brunch!

Refreshing Beverages of the Week
The great thing about breakfast for dinner is that it's usually after 5:00. Have a drink!

The Perfect Bloody Mary Mix

Ingredients
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
2 Tbsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)
2.5 oz lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1.5 oz lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 Tbsp olive brine
1 tsp celery seed
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher or sea salt
64 oz tomato vegetable juice (V8)

Procedure
Mix everything together and add more heat if you are inclined to. Mix with as much or as little vodka as you want.

Pink Bellinis

Ingredients
2 large ripe peaches
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 cup small ice cubes
1 750 ml bottle pink champagne

Procedure
Drop the peach into a small sauce pan of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes, put in ice water bath and carefully peel off skin. Cut in half and remove pit. Now puree in a blender with lemon and orange juice. Add the champagne and ice and blend til frothy. Pour into 8 chilled champagne flutes.

Lillet Martinis

This recipe makes 2 big drinks.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup Lillet Blanc
4 large strips orange zest

Procedure
The best way to do this is prepare it ahead. Combine Lillet and vodka and add 2 strips of orange zest and put in freezer. When ready to serve, combine chilled yummy liquid into chilled martini glass and add 2 fresh orange zest strips.

Guest Meredith Speers: Family Drink Recipes

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
This week I was joined on the show by Meredith Speers, a woman who knows how to party. She shared so much liquid wisdom with me I don't know where to start! But here are 4 beverage recipes to get you going.

Killer Punch

Yield: A little less than a gallon

Ingredients
2 quarts cold champagne
1 pint Southern Comfort
1 pint vodka
1 quart club soda

Procedure
Mix in punch bowl, and serve very cold. If this is too strong, add an extra quart of club soda.The punch is very pretty, clear and inviting, and is smooth. It has a habit of “sneaking up on people”, so make certain your guests don’t drink too much.

New Allison’s Mambo Margaritas

From Sweet Potato Queens’ Book of Love

Ingredients... and Procedure!
Pour in one big can of frozen limeade; that’s 12 ounces. Then add one bottle of Corona beer, 12 ounces of 7-Up (never Sprite), and 12 ounces of really good tequila. DO NOT MIX in a blender.

Key West Rum Punch

Served at Schooner Warf Bar and other “Watering Holes” in Key West

Ingredients
1 part Pineapple Rum
1.5 parts Orange Juice
1 part Banana Rum
1.5 parts Pineapple Juice
1 part Coconut Rum
1.5 parts Cranberry Juice
1 part Orange Rum
splash of Dark Rum

Procedure
Shake or mix together everything except the Dark Rum. Pour over ice, then float the Dark Rum over the top. It can be garnished with pineapple, or orange, or mint — whatever. It is delightful — and goes down very easily. Be careful!

Egg Nog

Yield: 5 pints, will serve about 8

Ingredients
6 eggs
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar for egg yolks
1 pint sweet milk
1/3 cup sugar for egg whites
1 pint whiskey
Nutmeg for garnish
1 oz Jamaica Rum

Procedure
Separate the egg whites and yolks. Beat them separately, adding sugar to both. Add the sugar to the whites after they have been beaten very stiffly. Fold the whites into the yolks in a large punch bowl. Stir in the cream, milk, whiskey and rum. Serve very cold and garnish each glass with freshly grated nutmeg.

Jalapeno Blended Frozen Bloody Mary

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
I love a good Bloody Mary, and it is the best Weight Watchers choice for a mixed drink — yes it counts as a vegetable! It is also spicy and refreshing and not full of sugar. And it goes great with brunch!

Ingredients
2 cup tomato juice, or V8
2 oz peppered vodka
2 oz vodka
1 chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp chopped horseradish
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 cup ice

Procedure
Place everything in the blender and whip up. Get creative with your vegetable stirrer. Try olive or pepperoncini on a carrot or celery stick or a piece of Jicama dipped in chipotle red chile powder. And make one for me!

Curry-Spiced Bloody Mary Mix

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Cocktail, healthfood drink, who can tell the difference? I love tomato juice and it is good for you so I was very excited to try this savory treat — which you can make a alcoholic as you want. This recipe from the April 2010 Bon Appétit is by Gayle Pirie and John Clark and makes a pitcher's worth.

Ingredients
10 cups tomato juice
1 2/3 cups vodka
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Procedure
Combine everything in large pitcher. Whisk in 2 teaspoons sea salt and pepper. Season with more salt, if desired. Cover; chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Whisk before serving. Fill tall glasses with ice. Pour in Bloody Mary mixture. Garnish with celery sticks.

Homemade Kahlua and Raspberry Infused Vodka

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Yes, fancy schmancy liquor can be very pricey, but there are some delicious libations you can make at home. Here are two suggestions. The one thing to remember is these concoctions need to age, so plan ahead!

Homemade Kahlua

Ingredients
4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups water
1 vanilla bean, cut in half
3/4 cup freeze-dried coffee (like Café Bustelo instant espresso)
1/4 cup hot water
2 cups brandy
2 cups vodka or Everclear
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Procedure
Combine sugar, water, and vanilla bean in a large heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil 15 minutes to let the sugar dissolve completely. Remove from heat. Combine coffee with the hot sugar syrup mix well. Return to heat and simmer on low heat for 6 minutes; do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove vanilla beans.

When cool, add brandy or vodka, and then add the vanilla extract. Pour into bottles and cap tightly. Store in a cool dark place, and let age at least 1 month before serving.

Raspberry Vodka

Ingredients
4 Cups Vodka
2 Cups Sugar
1 Lb. Fresh Red Raspberries
Large container with tightly fitting lid

Procedure
Add vodka, sugar, and raspberries to large container, cover, and store in a cool, dark place. Every week open container and stir well. After about two months, strain liquid through a fine sieve into a bottle and store in refrigerator or freezer. This is a traditional and widely used method of flavoring vodka, and works well with any fresh fruit.

Green Tea Martini

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Green tea is really good for you. Or so they tell me. The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in powerful anti-oxidants: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke. Here's is a cocktail which incorporates pseudo good health and leisure distraction. It's so Santa Fe! You'd better start drinking these cocktails right now!

Ingredients
2 oz lemon vodka
1/2 oz Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 oz chilled green tea

Procedure
Combine ingredients in a martini shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Pour into a martini glass rimmed with lime juice and sugar. Garnish with lime slices.

Apricot Cocktail

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
It's summer in Santa Fe, and if we haven’t lost them all to a late frost, it's apricot season. So I thought I would do a classic apricot cocktail. Mom, this is a good one for you! It seems among fruit-based brandies, apricot brandy is one of the most versatile ingredients. It happily combines with a variety of juices and spirits.

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces apricot brandy
3/4 ounce fresh orange juice
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 ounce vodka
Maraschino cherry (optional)

Procedure
Shake the brandy, orange juice, lemon juice, and Vodka well with ice; then strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, if desired. Or even better, a slice of fresh apricot.

The Classic Cosmo for Bernice

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
The classic Cosmo — I know, I know, it's so "Sex in the City" — but when made right, it is a delicious and simple drink and often a safe choice at bars of unknown capabilities.

Ingredients
Ice cubes
1 ounce vodka (citrus infused is nice)
1/2 ounce Cointreau (an orange-flavored liquor or use Triple Sec, which is a bit cheaper)
1 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
lime twist to garnish

Procedure
Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the vodka Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice. Shake well. Strain into a large chilled martini glass and garnish with a lime twist. So simple even your mother can make one.

Polynesian Pepper Pot

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Lately, I've been enjoying cocktails that combine a hint of savory with the sweet. This cocktail is called the Polynesian pepper pot and has Tabasco in it. I love a Bloody Mary with Tabasco, so why not a pineapple and rum cocktail with Tabasco? Give it a shot!

By the way, this drink uses Orgeat (pronounced "OHR-zha"), a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar and rose water or orange-flower water. It was, however, originally made with a barley-almond blend. It has a strong almond taste and is used to flavor many cocktails, perhaps the most famous of which is the Mai Tai. Torrani makes an Orgeat syrup.

Ingredients
4-6 cracked ice cubes
Dash Tabasco sauce
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce golden rum
4 ounces pineapple juice
2 tablespoons Orgeat
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
pinch of curry powder to garnish top

Procedure
Put the cracked ice in a cocktail shaker. Dash Tabasco over ice, then pour in vodka, rum, pineapple juice, Orgeat, lemon juice and cayenne. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass and sprinkle a smidge of curry powder on top

The Voila

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
It's strawberry season, I think. It's hard to tell because most of the imported, available-year-round berries are totally tasteless. But maybe you bought some delicious local berries at the market and were looking for a creative beverage to use them in? It's your lucky day! Let's make a drink called The Voila, a strawberry cocktail with an adult edge, black pepper, how nouvelle! This delicious drink was created by Chef Cedric Tovar of the Peacock Alley Restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Ingredients
2 ounces fresh strawberry puree
2 ounces vodka
3 mint leaves
3 black peppercorns
1 strip lime zest
5 drops of lime juice

Procedure
Using a a muddler, crush the pepper and the mint in a glass. Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice cubes and shake well. Pour into a chilled rocks glass and garnish with a slice of fresh strawberry.

The Absolut Mango Lassi

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
You say summer, I say mango. What passes for a ripe mango in this country is very different than what you get in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica (or any other country where they grow and properly ripen), but I still love them. In real life, a ripe mango is incredibly messy, aromatic, and juicy and needs to be eaten over the sink after which you need a shower to get all the sticky sweet pulp off your hands and mouth. This has never happened to me here. But I do enjoy a cold mango beverage and here is a recipe, which takes the traditional Indian beverage, a lassi and tarts it up a bit with vodka.
(This recipe makes 1 yummy drink.)

Ingredients
Ice
1 1/2 ounces Absolut Mango vodka
1 ounce whole-milk yogurt
1 ounce one-percent milk
1/2 ounce fresh mango pulp
1/2 ounce honey syrup (1 part honey dissolved in 1 part warm water)
2 dashes Bitters
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon
Rose water

Procedure
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the Absolut Mango vodka, yogurt, milk, mango pulp, honey syrup, bitters and cinnamon. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass. Add 1 large ice cube and top with 1 drop of rose water

The Money Shot

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
It’s time for “The Money Shot!” But trust me, this has nothing to do with porn —w e are talking beverages. It's strong, green, festive, and you know you want it! I find a little liquor can loosen up your wallet just a wee bit. You can call anytime but during my show is so much more fun, then I get to thank you on the air and mispronounce your name and we will bond. Here is the recipe, so start mixing!

Ingredients
1 ounce melon liqueur (Midori)
1 ounce triple sec
2 ounces vodka
2 oz fresh lemon juice

Procedure
Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour the vodka, triple sec, melon liqueur, and lemon juice into the shaker over the ice. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Feeling no pain? Call 428-1393 now! KSFR needs your support!

Smoked Anise

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
This week we have some listener input, which I love. It’s for a beverage called “Smoked Anise” and it was sent into me by one of my transplanted New York fans mostly because she thought it sounded so weird. Well that’s a good enough reason for me to try it, so here goes! This recipe is adapted from Elixir, in San Francisco and printed in the New York Times.

Ingredients
1 oz. vodka
1/4 oz. anisette
1/8 oz. Islay Scotch (like Laphroaig)
Whole star anise, for garnish (optional)

Procedure
Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir for at least 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and for garnish float a star anise in the drink.

Okay so we tried this on the air, and both Andrew and I thought it was awful. Then I went to my final critique in my printmaking class and took it with me. I asked some of my classmates to try it and to my surprise they loved it! Maybe it was because the ice had started to melt into the drink and it mellowed out. Or maybe because it made the class more enjoyable. Either way it was a pleasant surprise!

Tangerine Liquor

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Here is a great easy idea for a holiday gift — or just an excuse to drink, you decide. It’s for tangerine liquor, but give yourself a week to let the flavors infuse. This makes 2 1/2 cups.

Ingredients
6 tangerines
2 cups vodka
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Procedure
Remove the thin outer coating of the tangerines with a sharp vegetable peeler. Avoid the white pith layer, as it tends to be bitter. Spread the peels on a rack on a baking sheet and let sit at room temperature till they are dried — which will take from 12-36 hours depending on the level of humidity. Now place the peels in a clean jar with the vodka and let sit for a week, shaking the mixture every day. Sip on occasion to test the strength of the flavor. When you think it's strong enough, strain out the peels and save for flavoring drinks or sauces. Now make the simple syrup with the water and sugar and let cool, and then add the vodka. Pour mixture through a funnel lined with a coffee filter into a clean and festive jar. Cap and store indefinitely at room temperature. Voila!

Passion Fruit and Vodka Jelly Shots

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Okay, it all started at my friends Vince and Diana’s Summer Solstice party. Right when you think you can’t eat or drink another bite, the hosts bring out the frozen hot shots. Jalapeño tequila, need I say more? "What’s that?" I ask. "Oh just try one!" And the rest is history. As much as I love little cookbooks, I also love strong, crazy, little drinks. It took me years to learn what all college kids know: I love Jell-O shots. So here is a great little recipe for a passion fruit and vodka jelly shot. Danger, Will Robertson! Danger!

Ingredients
1 ounce sugar syrup
2 ounces fresh passion fruit pulp (or I use “Pure” brand passion fruit puree)
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
2 1/2 ounces vodka

Heat the passion fruit and sugar syrup till just hot. Sprinkle gelatin on top of the mixture, stir until it completely dissolves, then set aside to cool. Mix in Vodka, then pour into 6 shot glasses refrigerate for at least 3 hours or till set.