By Cydnee Murray

EEntertaining friends. It once meant ordering up a couple of hot pies from Lombardi’s and putting a pack of brewskies on ice. In those simpler times, Sarah’s gluten allergy, Dan’s aversion to dairy products or Laura’s refusal to ingest anything requiring a stop off after the farm –that’s a farm-to-table joke, fyi – mattered not.

The more studies nutritionists conduct, the more gun-shy people become about eating pesticide treated or genetically enhanced foods. The same hesitation applies to drinking. Buzzwords like “additives,” “sucrose” or “artificial coloring” set the health conscious running for the hills, or Whole Foods.

Just like juices and sodas, alcoholic spirits often contain extracts or chemical blends. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the government agency in charge of setting alcohol labeling standards, says this regarding vodka: if any flavoring material is added to the distillate it shall be designated “flavored vodka” and may be further classified with the name of the flavoring material used. Flavoring material? Um, that sounds like some “Soylent Green is people!” speak, no?

Forgo the store bought stuff and infuse your own at home. “Infuse.” The word sounds fancy, but impressing your friends with homemade flavored vodka really only requires a couple of steps. Choose a vodka brand, organic works best. Then, choose the organic ingredient –not material–you’d like to flavor your vodka with. The below cocktail recipe lays out the process of persimmon-infused vodka. The persimmon, a plump, hearty fruit quickly soaks in the alcohol giving it a subtle, sweet pumpkin flavor. Perfect for easing the awkwardness of spending Christmas with your drunken uncle.

Tips: Once the alcohol has been consumed, keep the fruit and use it for cooking.

Recipe
The Persimmonim
Serves one

Ingredients
–       2 ounces *persimmon infused organic vodka
–       2 ounces organic apple juice
–       ¾ ounces lime

Preparation
1) Fill cocktail shaker with ice
2) Pour all three ingredients into shaker: vodka, fresh lime juice and organic apple juice cold (Crop Artisanal Vodka was used here because it’s organic, easily obtainable and retails for a reasonable average price of $26.00)
3) Shake thoroughly until sufficiently chilled
4) Fill a highball glass with ice
5) Strain liquid from shaker into glass
6) Optional: garnish with persimmon slice

*Slice two ripe, rinsed persimmons into small cubes. Place them in a suitable container with lid. Pour one 750 mL (25.4 oz.) bottle of organic vodka over fruit.  Let stand in freezer or refrigerator for three to five days before using. Always keep contents chilled.

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