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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Homemade Kahlua

partysugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:20:43 -0800

While it might be too late for you to make Kahlua and gift it next week on Christmas - it takes three weeks for the coffee beans to infuse the vodka and rum mixture - I highly recommend you make this and give it to someone as a hostess gift in early January.

People are always surprised that liquors can be homemade, so it makes for an unexpected gift. What most don't realize is that the best bartenders are busy mixing up everything from homemade Baileys to fresh grenadine. The techniques they use to make these superior mixers are easily adaptable for the home.

A few weeks ago when I decided to make this, I spoke with friend and master mixologist Scott Baird of 15 Romolo in San Francisco. Although most recipes call for simply a clear spirit like vodka or light rum, Baird insists on a mixture of vodka and dark rum for a rich flavor and thick syrup-like liquid. To look at his recipe, read more.

Homemade Kahlua
From Scott Baird of 15 Romolo

Ingredients

1 750 ml bottle vodka or white rum (I used Stoli)
1 1/4 cups dark rum (Scott recommended Pampero, but I couldn't find it)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 pound whole coffee beans
1 tablespoon cocoa nib (optional)
1 vanilla bean
cinnamon stick, slice of orange peel (optional)

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a sealable container. Shake hard to combine.
Label with the date and let sit in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Shake or stir the mixture several times of week.
Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a clean vessel. Use like you would Kahlua or any other coffee liquor.

Makes 1 bottle of Kahlua.

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Happy Hour: Monkey's Lunch

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:00:17 -0700

I know what you're thinking: Why on earth is Yum drinking a banana-flavored cocktail with a ridiculous name? Well, sometimes a girl needs a silly, sugary drink - and sometimes a girl has a bunch of creme de banana left over from a bananas foster recipe. In search of a use for this odd liqueur, I headed to the Internet and found the Monkey's Lunch.

Though it may sound a bit off-putting, this drink was yummy enough that I drank the whole thing and would happily drink another. The banana flavor is very subtle, like a tropical twist on a White Russian. If it sounds a-peel-ing (sorry, couldn't resist), get the recipe when you read more.

Monkey's Lunch
Drinks Mixer

Ingredients

1 part creme de banana
1 part Kahlua
1 part milk

Directions
Pour alcohol over ice in a cocktail glass and add milk.

Note: For a bit of a twist, you could add a splash of Bailey's Irish Cream. This drink is also tasty as a "special" coffee. Just sugar your rim, add liquor, pour coffee, and add some whip.

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Happy Hour: Happy Camper

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:28:41 -0700

The phrase "happy camper" refers to someone who is happy, satisfied and content. When I think of happy campers, I think of folks sitting in a lounge chair, with their feet propped up on coolers and tents in the background and a fire going on the side. These happy campers are also sipping down on a lovely drink, what kind you ask? Well a Happy Camper of course! In the drink world a Happy Camper is a lovely mix of Kahlua, Baileys and Frangelico. How could you not be satisfied and content with that drink?! To get the recipe, read more

Happy Camper
From Drinks Mixer

1/3 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur
1/3 oz Bailey's® Irish cream
1/3 oz Frangelico® hazelnut liqueur

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into an old-fashioned glass 1/4 filled with ice cubes, and serve.

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Exploring the Farmers Market of Oahu

YumSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:45:08 -0700

After sampling the tasty treats around Oahu, I had to stop by a farmers market to witness the local food revolution firsthand. Luckily, Kapiolani Community College hosts a weekly market on Saturdays. While the vendors sell everything from tomatoes to abalone, the deliciousness of fresh local pineapple is hard to beat. I arrived around 8 a.m. and found the market already bustling with activity. Here are the highlights.

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Homemade Kahlua

partysugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:08:53 -0800

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:30:13 -0800

Pull out all the party stops with roquefort and walnut canapés.
Homemade Kahlua is a thoughtful and timely New Year's host gift.
Find out what people, places, and things were among our food favorites of the year.
Don't commit the big party blunder known as the one-sided introduction.
These goat cheese mashed potatoes were so scrumptious, they didn't even need butter!
It may be the end of December, but November is where it's at.
Why First Lady Laura Bush is nervous to return to the kitchen.

Happy Hour: Espresso Martini

YumSugar — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:13:12 -0800

My guy is addicted, and I mean ADDICTED to coffee (in fact, we had to lose the microwave to make room for the espresso machine). When we go out he's always looking for a drink that involves coffee, Kahlua, espresso, etc. So yesterday, when I asked him to choose a drink for today's happy hour, it really should have come as no surprise when he said, "how about an Espresso Martini?"

Go figure! But, at least he's got good taste and found a delicious recipe for all of us.

Espresso Martini
From Drinks Mixer

1 1/2 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz Kahlua (or any other coffee liqueur)
1 oz Bailey's Irish cream
3 oz espresso - the stronger the better!

Brew espresso fresh.
Pour into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes and add other ingredients.
Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

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Does America Need Its Own Liqueur?

partysugar — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 12:29:47 -0800

The French have Grand Marnier, Mexico has Kahlua, the Italian's have Amaretto, Germany's got Jagermeister, and the Irish, Baileys. When it comes to liqueurs, everyone seems to have one except America... until now! An ingenious businessman from Las Vegas, Frank Arcella, has taken it upon himself to give America what it didn't know it always lacked: an original liqueur, entitled Redcliff, the American Liqueur. This isn't any old sweet alcoholic beverage, it's one that captures an all-American, classic taste: coca-cola. Arcella spent two years testing over 500 variations until he found a perfect blend of ingredients such as cinnamon, lime, rum, vermouth, vodka, and vanilla bean. Although I have yet to taste Redcliff I'm a little skeptical, just because everyone else has one doesn't mean we need a liqueur that represents America. But then again Redcliff could taste absolutely wonderful and be used as a mixer to create cool cocktails. What do you guys think, does America need its own liqueur?

Happy Hour: White Russian

partysugar — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:28:37 -0800

White Russian's are my absolute favorite dessert drink. When I was in college I always kept a bottle of vodka and kahlua on hand in my freezer. Milk was only consumed when it was mixed in with a White Russian. Even when I was a bartender in Spain (where milk is an unheard of mixer) I would whip them up during afterhours and taught all of my fellow Spanish bar-mates how to make them. As I was thinking about milk today, I realized I haven't had a White Russian in forever (definition of forever: a few months). If you have yet to have one, make one now - they are super yummy! For the recipe, read more

White Russian
From Barmeister

1 1/2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Kahlua
3/4 oz Cream or Milk

Mix the vodka and kahlua together in a cocktail shaker.
Pour into glass filled with ice. Float the cream/milk on top.

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Caroling

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:05:22 -0800

I know it may be a little old fashioned but I think it's time we bring back Christmas caroling. That's right, you guessed it, let's throw a Christmas caroling party. Invite a group of people over (we all know a few American Idol wannabes) then put on your big coats and head out into the cold to sing for your neighbors. Afterwards invite everyone back in for some hot soup and a hot chocolate bar. Make this party particularly memorable and ask guests to wear their tackiest Christmas sweaters. To make this party your own read more

Invites: To emphasize the tacky sweater concept create mini sweaters for invites. Visit your local Goodwill to scout large, chunky, cheesy sweaters. Cut into pieces and glue onto red or green metallic card stock. Cut the card stock/sweater into mini sweater shapes about 4x5 inches (you want it to fit into a regular sized envelope). The front should look like a mini sweater and on the back you can write in the specifics of the party. Slide into an addressed envelope and send to your guests.

Menu: Keep the menu uncomplicated, serve a crab dip, crackers, and fresh sliced salami while you wait for all the guests to arrive. Leave a creamy tomato soup warming on the stove for after the caroling. Serve mini ham and cheese sandwiches with the soup. Pair chocolate fudge and rice crispy treats with the hot chocolate bar.

Decorations: This is one party where no decorations are necessary. The tacky sweaters are decorations themselves and act as conversation starters. Don't light candles and leave the house to go caroling because, potentially, this could lead to a fire risk. Create a booklet of lyrics to the Christmas songs you plan to sing and give each of your guests one upon their arrival. When you return from caroling ask a friend to light a fire and another to light your candles. Turn on some music and bowl up the soup.

Music: Pump up guests by playing a CD of the Christmas carols you are going to sing at the start of the party. For the after party portion when you return from caroling your friends may be Christmas caroled out so put a few of your latest favs on rotation. My picks: Gwen Stefani's Sweet Escape, Fergie's The Dutchess, and the Killer's Sam's Town.

Drinks: When guests arrive offer them an apple pie shooter to loosen up their inhibitions and put them in the singing spirit. For drinks you can plan a naughty & nice hot chocolate station. Start with a good hot chocolate base (which you can leave on super-low heat, stirring every so often) and leave out a tray of nice: mini-marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, whip cream, dinner mints, etc. and a tray of naughty: grand marnier, kahlua, irish cream, etc. If your guests are not interested in the hot chocolate you can always serve Port, sparkling wines (and juices) or mulled wine.