Everything from roasted potatoes to strawberries and Prosecco (sometimes in the same meal) have been flavored by my rosemary plants; I have been known to make flower arrangements (and wreaths) from the fragrant leaves and drink rosemary infused tea at the same time. And while I use rosemary year-round, this evergreen bush is readily available in the deep of winter, when all the other herbs have died back. Perhaps for this reason, there is something about the flavor of rosemary that just feels like the holidays.
Rosemary flavored vodka has recently become a bit of a staple amongst our friends. It’s easy to make and looks absolutely beautiful when you include a fresh sprig for garnish. It’s been tested and approved in a modified screwdriver: just mix 1 ounce of rosemary vodka with the juice from one orange and serve over ice. Rosemary vodka is also delicious with a bit of Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch Tonic or in your favorite Bloody Mary recipe, but the possibilities are endless. If you have a great idea for a rosemary cocktail, be sure to let us know in the comments section.
Make extra of this easy infusion for your upcoming holiday gifting.
Homemade in three days—can’t beat that.
ROSEMARY VODKA
(Shown here in HEATH Ceramics Small Tapered Glass atop a DIY Braided Coaster.)
Slip a few sprigs of rosemary into your favorite bottle of vodka. We love Tito’s Handmade and have recently become fond of Cathead Vodka (which we taste tested at a recent trunk show). The vodka takes on the flavor of the rosemary in about three days, but will continue to develop a stronger flavor if left longer. I added peppercorns to one of my bottles for additional spice. Once the vodka has achieved the desired taste, strain into another container: cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or even a scrap of organic cotton jersey will do the trick nicely.
P.S.: HEATH Plates make beautiful wall decor, mounted alone or in groupings. (See the first image in our post.)
Natalie, you intuitively knew that Rosemary is known as the “Herb of Christmas!” Thank you for this lovely post and merry Christmas to you and yours.
Karen
I grow a lot of rosemary and have a good friend who loves bloody Mary’s so when I saw this post I knew it would make a great gift. It’ steeping in the kitchen right now. Merry Christmas and thanks for the idea
The first bottle turned out so well we opened it for Christmas and I had to buy another one to give my friend. It was delicious. I added the peppercorns too and it had a nice bite to it.
This sounds amazing! We don’t go through vodka too quickly though, do you know what the shelf-life would be? Should it be kept in the refrigerator?
Thanks so much!
Twist on a classic…
3/4 oz Rosemary Vodka (I like Hangar One to infuse; the use of grapes in the distillation process helps capture the rosemary flavor)
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo or Leopold’s work nicely)
3/4 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
Shake all ingredients with ice to chill, then serve up a chilled cocktail/nick & nora glass. And don’t forget the rosemary sprig garnish!
Thanks for the recipe, Jared!