Greenmarket Booze: Thai Basil Schnapps
Posted by Audrey Ference on The Spirit World
Man oh man if it’s not the season for making awesome cocktail ingredients from the farmers’ market. Food, too, I guess, if you’re into that sort of thing. Pictured is my Thai basil schnapps, which couldn’t be simpler to make: take some basil, put it in a jar, cover with high-proof neutral liquor (vodka or everclear—the higher the proof, the more flavor compounds you will be able to extract).
I let this sit for about 24 hours, but just taste until you get the flavor you’re looking for. Depending on the proof of your spirit, you might want to water it down or even sweeten it.
Almost anything in season right now can be infused into liquor. It’s cool to try out different flavor combinations, especially with herbs. I thought the Thai basil would be useful, given its anise notes, as it seems lots of cocktails have an anise component. I haven’t quite figured out what to do with my schnapps, but it came out great: bright green with a very strong basil/spice/anise flavor and smell.
Infusions (or schnapps or flavored vodkas or whatever you want to call them) are great ways to preserve the bounty of summer for year-round drinking, so experiment, or stay posted for more ideas to come.
See previous Greenmarket Booze entries:
Tequila por mi Amante
