Getting into the holiday spirit, one drink at a time
It’s officially that time of year again. Snow is falling, even though it’s not sticking. A few eager beavers have had their lights and wreaths up for two weeks already. The pumpkin craze has slowly died out, replaced by an overwhelming demand for anything with gingerbread or cinnamon. Regular coffee has been renamed ‘Santa’s Secret Blend’ – which is an excellent marketing ploy – because at this time of year, anything with the word ‘Santa,’ ‘Reindeer,’ ‘Snowflake,’ or ‘Holiday’ in the title is bound to sell out faster than the same product under a less-festive name.
When I think of the holidays, however, the first thing that pops into my mind is alcohol. Now, I’m not a heavy drinker, but there’s something about being trapped in a room with my 15 cousins and their crying children, with my Oma yelling about something or another and my least-favourite aunt continually asking me, “Are you sure you want to eat a third helping?” followed by, “Wow, I wish I didn’t care about how I looked!” that sends me back to the wine bottle.
So, as you can imagine, I was rather excited when I stumbled upon a recipe for Candy Cane Vodka. Now, I can get drunk at our annual holiday dinner without the judgement, because it’s festive alcohol. I’m just trying to get into the spirit of the holidays, and yes, I do want that third helping.
In reality, this is just peppermint vodka, which is something they sell in liquor stores on a regular basis. But, on the plus side, it is actually cheaper to make peppermint vodka at home. As an added bonus, making it yourself means you can take it to your family dinner, brag about your creativity and handiness, and then drink it all yourself.
Candy Cane Vodka
You’ll need:
– 1 c. of crushed candy canes
– Vodka
– Air-tight sealable container
– Filter/sieve
1. Place crushed candy canes at the bottom of the air-tight sealable container (mason jars work really well for this, but anything with a seal will do).
2. Pour vodka over the crushed candy canes, filling the container to the top. (Note: if your container is larger than average mason jars, or you plan on making a larger than average quantity of vodka, you may want to put in two cups of candy canes for added flavour.)
3. Seal the container, and leave the vodka to sit for two full days.
4. After two days, pour the mixture into a new container through a filter or sieve to remove all of the little candy bits that you might accidentally choke on while drinking.
5. Drink up!