The Fall entertaining season is about to start and if you are traveling to someone else’s for a party we would like to recommend a few hand-made gifts that you can create to take as a present for the hosts.Three Handmade, herb infused gifts to present to your hosts:Homemade BittersHand-blended TeasFlavor infused MixersHandmade BittersIn my mocktail program I always say I am going to share this recipe for citrus bitters on my blog, but i never seem to do it, so for those who have been waiting, here is the recipe. you need to plan ahead to make this as a gift, as it takes 6 to 8 weeks to cure properly, but one batch will give you may jars of bitters to use for gifting and yourself!Bitters are a special ingredient in cocktails that
lends a tang to a drink and are great in drinks based on gin or vodka. Bitters are also a digestive aid and these
two recipes made with citrus are high in anti-oxidants and can assist with
keeping blood sugar levels, well level. Citrus
bittersThe bright flavor these lend to your ginger ale,
seltzer, sparking water or spirits is amazing and unique; you may find you
cannot live without it. 1 750-ml bottle of
plain (unflavored) vodka 4 oranges, zest
only from the entire orange2 lemons, zest only
from entire lemon1 Tbls fennel
seeds1 3-inch cinnamon
stick½ tsp whole cloves½ tsp coriander
seedZest the lemons and
oranges, getting all the orange and yellow peel, but none of the white pith
underneath. Place the zest and the
fennel, coriander and cloves in a 1-quart mason jar. Seal tightly and shake, then place in a cool,
dark area for 4 to 8 weeks shaking every other day.Once infused, strain the bitters using a fine mesh
strainer and transfer the liquid to 4-ounce amber dropper jars for long term
storage at room temperature. Recipe makes 6 4-ounce jars. These never spoil!TO USE: Bitters can be added to a tall glass of iced ginger ale, just a few drops will make a refreshing drink.Swap them in for extracts in baked goods.Toss them with popcorn.Shake them into lemonade or juice.Infuse honey and maple syrup.Add them to poaching liquid for fruit.Try this Cocktail– Tea Time Tippler
2 oz. Green or Herbal Tea1 oz Lavender Simple Syrup1 oz Ginger Beer1/2 oz Lemon Juice2 Dashes of Bitters
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake. Strain into
chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with grapefruit disk. Recipe makes 1 cocktail.
Hand-blended TeasA dry herb tea blend is quick and easy to make. Then just place the mixture in a canning jar with a decorative label with instructions and attach a tea infuser and you have a perfect little gift. Choose a relaxing blend to help your host wind down after the stress of entertaining. This recipe has cooling and restoring mint along with immunity boosters in lemongrass and rosehips.Winter Serendipitea
Tea 1 teaspoon dried spearmint1 teaspoon peppermint1 teaspoon crushed rosehips1 teaspoon dried chopped lemongrass 1/2 teaspoon each of
orange peel 1/2 teaspoon raspberry leafdash of cinnamonMix ingredients
together well. Store in a tightly lidded container.TO USE: Bring cool water to a boil. Place 1 tsp of the tea
blend in a tea infuser, pour 1 cup of boiling water over and allow to steep for
3 – 5 minutes, preferably in a covered
container. For iced tea, allow to steep up to 10 minutes, then allow to cool to room
temperature and add ice and a squeeze of lemon if desired.We have shared a number of recipes for herb teas here in the blog, so if you want something different check out this list: Tea Recipes at Backyard PatchOr you can just pick up a Backyard Patch Tea blend by visiting our website.Flavor-infused MixersMy last recommendation is to make a flavored alcohol or a faux gin for your hosts. We have recipes here: Faux Gin. Or you can craft something with our simple cocktail kits, like Apple Cinnamon Bourbon or a quick and easy Faux Gin, or even an Old-Fashioned Cocktail.To make your own Old-Fashioned –2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey 1/4 ounce simple syrup 2 dashes bitters orange slice & maraschino cherry to garnishCombine all ingredients in a low ball glass, add ice and garnish and sip!
