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When one enters the vodka section of a liquor store, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the wide selection of flavors offered by each brand. Flavored vodkas are a growing trend, and liquor brands are taking advantage of the desire for these infused spirits.

The most popular flavored vodkas typically include citrus and fruit essences, while unique combinations like peanut butter and jelly or cucumber are also appearing in the market. Flavored vodkas are great for making cocktails, because they assist in adding an extra dimension to the taste. Others prefer flavored vodkas over unflavored vodkas when drinking it straight, as many flavored vodkas include added sugar that masks the strong alcohol taste.  

Whatever the flavor one seeks, creating homemade flavored vodkas allows for an endless number of possibilities as well as the enjoyment of doing it oneself. Many also prefer homemade flavored vodkas because they tend to be the cheaper option than pre-infused liquors.

Want to learn more about making your own flavored vodkas at home? The following article from She Knows describes the best techniques for making your own flavored vodkas.

How to make flavor-infused vodka

HOMEMADE FLAVORED VODKAS

Flavored vodkas are hot – as evidenced by the ever-growing marketplace selection ranging from ordinary vanilla or citrus vodka to the whimsical vodkas infused with chocolate or root beer. Because of their popularity, quality flavored vodkas don’t come cheap. But you can frugally add your own signature flavor to plain vodka by making infused vodkas at home. Here’s how.

HOW TO MAKE FLAVORED VODKAS

Making flavored vodkas at home gives you the creative freedom to infuse your vodka with herbs, spices, fruits and even vegetables. All you need is a good bottle of plain vodka, a strainer, a large clear jar, and your flavorful ingredient of choice. It’s a simple and fun culinary feat and it will save you some cash in the process.

1. Use good vodka

Picking the vodka to start with is by far the most important part of the process. You want to use a good quality vodka, because no matter how much you flavor it, if the base isn’t good, the result won’t be good.

2. Use fresh ingredients

For best results, make sure the flavor components you use are as fresh as possible. Frozen fruit isn’t a great option because it will break down and just get soggy in the vodka. Fresh herbs and spices and whole fruit and vegetables are best.

3. Be original

Get creative with the flavors, pretty much any fruit, vegetable, herb or spice can be used or if you want to be really original, try mixing a few flavors together. Peppers and horseradish are also a great choice for infused vodkas, but start sparingly so you don’t end up with too much spicy fire in your vodka.

4. Prep your ingredients

If you are using fruit or vegetables, cut them up in large cubes or slices. In some cases, the skin should stay on, like citrus (because the peel is bursting with flavorful oils), but other fruits such as melons should have their skin removed. A good rule is: Any skin that is not edible (other than citrus) should be peeled. Also, remove any pits and seeds. If you are using herbs or spices such as cinnamon, lavender or rosemary, add them to the vodka whole. Everything will be strained before drinking, so if a few pieces go astray, no need to panic.

5. Combine flavors

Add fruit, vegetables or herbs to a large glass jar. If possible, use one with a spigot or a large lid to ladle vodka out. And keep in mind that the more flavor you add, the stronger it will be in the vodka. A good rule of thumb is to fill the jar about halfway full with fruit or vegetables and then fill it to the top with vodka. If using herbs or spices, use a good handful, because they are stronger and will emit more flavor than fruit or vegetables. Pour the vodka into the jar and cover it with a lid.

6. Wait

Place the jar in the refrigerator and play the waiting game. Most likely, the infusion will take at least one day. Some fruits and vegetables will take longer. Simply taste the vodka every day to determine your strength level. It can take up to one week to get the flavor you want. Remember, you can always add more flavor but you can’t take it away.

7. Strain

When the desired flavor is reached, pour the vodka through a fine-meshed strainer into a large bowl to remove as much of the pulp and bits as possible. If needed, layer strainer with cheesecloth or coffee filters. Pour vodka back into its original bottle or into the jar used to infuse – this will ensure that your newly infused vodka is easily pourable.

8. Serve

One of the best parts of infusing your own vodka, is that it lends itself to using plenty of delicious garnishes. Fruit and vegetables can be garnished on the side of a cocktail glass. Herbs and spices can be used as stirrers in cocktails. Drink up and enjoy!

While sweet infused vodkas are the most common (such as flavored vodkas made with fruit or candy), savory flavored vodkas are also finding their way to the spotlight. Especially when used for a Bloody Mary, bacon or celery flavored vodkas can enhance the experience. Floral vodkas are also great for making cocktails, such as lavender or hibiscus. These homemade flavored vodkas can be consumed neat, or in a trendy cocktail.

Experiment with your own flavored vodka combinations. One great way to invent unique infused vodka cocktails is to mirror it after one of your favorite foods. For example, strawberry-flavored vodka mixed with chocolate liqueur will taste like chocolate-covered strawberries.

Along with a wide variety of pre-made flavored vodkas, Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, MA carries unflavored vodkas that you can use in your own vodka-infusion adventures. If you visit our store, we would be happy to assist you in choosing the perfect vodka brand and cocktail mixers so you may make your own creation at home.

If you could create any flavor of vodka, what would it be? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!

The post How to Make Your Own Flavored Vodkas appeared first on Julio's Liquors.

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Halloumi cheese is made from sheep’s milk (typically combined with goat’s milk) and possesses a high melting point that makes it great for grilling and frying, and is a favorite among experimental chefs. Foodies have become big enthusiasts for halloumi cheese, due to the fact that it is such a drastic variant from most other types and provides a new experience to its tasters.

If you are adventurous, or simply interested in learning more about a cheese that is able to stay firm on the grill, continue reading the following article from About. You will learn more about the history of halloumi cheese, as well as understand more about it’s unique flavor. With this knowledge, your next barbeque has the potential to include actual grilled cheese, and who doesn’t love that?

Halloumi cheese – what is halloumi?

Wondering about cooking with this unique Greek sheep’s milk cheese?

Halloumi cheese is making its way up the list of popular food trends – and with good reason! Halloumi cheese is a delicious and uniquely grillable cheese. Read on to learn about what is halloumi cheese, cooking and grilling with Halloumi, and some Halloumi recipes, of course!

What is Halloumi cheese? Can I substitute other cheeses?

Traditionally prepared from sheep’s milk in the Greek island of Cyprus, Halloumi is a soft curd-like cheese free of rennet and safe for vegetarians who do not eat rennet. Many similar cheeses are prepared by dairy and goat farmers in Canada and the United States. For legal proprietary reasons, these cheeses are usually called “Halloumi-style” or “grillable” cheeses.

What does Halloumi cheese taste like?

Plain, Halloumi is firm, salty and a bit rubbery, perhaps most comparable to a thick feta, though the taste is certainly unique. Cooked, the saltiness fades into a strong savory bite, with a slightly creamy texture.

How to cook Halloumi cheese:

Try Halloumi grilled, pan-fried or thinly sliced. Try it instead of mozzarella in a caprese salad, or serve it with watermelon, as is traditional in Cyprus.

For those looking to try halloumi cheese for the first time, simply heating it on the grill is one great way to become introduced to its unique flavor and texture. Once you have familiarized yourself with this gourmet delight, you can begin to experiment with it in salads, kebobs, and various other dishes. About also explains the best techniques for grilling halloumi cheese.

Grilled halloumi cheese

Grilled halloumi: It’s trendy, it’s easy, it’s gourmet and it’s quick, but the real reason to try grilled halloumi cheese on your indoor our outdoor grill is that it tastes, quite simply, incredible. If you’ve never tried grilled halloumi cheese, you simple must learn how to do it with this easy recipe.

See also: What is halloumi?

Ingredients:

• 1 package halloumi or halloumi-style cheese
• olive oil

Preparation:

Pre-heat your indoor or ourdoor grill to medium heat.

Slice halloumi cheese into wide, 1/2 inch thick slices and lightly brush each side with olive oil.

Carefully place on grill for just a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned and gently crisped; do not over-grill.

Halloumi cheese is best served immediately, while it is slightly crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside.

Grilled halloumi can be eaten just as it is. Delicious!

If you are a cheese lover, then this unique variant is sure to delight your senses. Halloumi cheese maintains the texture of mozzarella while tasting more like feta, and is probably like nothing else you’ve ever experienced. Now that you are armed with an understanding of halloumi, your first assignment is to go out and purchase some of your own halloumi cheese and begin the journey into epicurean bliss.

Did you know that along with a large variety of beer, wines, spirits, and cigars, Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, MA also has a gourmet foods shop? Inside of the Julio’s 17,000 square foot storefront on Route 9, one can find a wide variety of cheeses (many of them local!) and provisions, including the famed Halloumi cheese. Visit Julio’s Liquors and you will find everything you need for your next party or cookout.

Have you ever tasted halloumi cheese? How would you best describe this elusive cheese?

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Despite how most people treat sprits, they are not always meant to be diluted with juice, soda, and mixers. In fact, many spirits were created to drink with no modification at all. Hosting a spirits tasting is the perfect way to become more familiar with liquor distilled specifically for straight consumption.

For those who remain skeptical about the cost of hosting a spirits tasting, considering how expensive it may be to purchase all of that top-shelf liquor, we request that you think again. The following article from Serious Eats explains how it is possible to conduct a spirits tasting without breaking the bank. Educate yourself on the variety of fine liquors available to you with this guide to spirits tasting.

Cocktail 101: How to Conduct a Spirits Tasting

One of the best ways to learn about spirits is to taste, taste, taste. When you taste a flight of bourbons, for example, you have the chance to pit the spirits against each other, and learn more about the bourbon category by exploring the differences between individual bottlings.

But there’s no need to trek to Kentucky when you can host a tasting in your own home. Conducting a spirits tasting for your friends is a great excuse to have people over and have a good time. And it doesn’t need to break the bank! You can invite your friends to each contribute a bottle to the tasting.

Spirits tastings can be led in different directions, depending on what you’re after. You can lead a blind tasting, in which no one but the-one-who-pours knows what’s in each glass. Or you can be less formal and tell your guests in advance what they’re drinking.

A blind tasting forces you to put your biases aside and evaluate the spirit based solely on what’s in the glass, and not on the bottle, name, or fancy label. But even when you know what you’re drinking, you can still learn a lot about spirits by tasting.

How to Begin

First decide what you’re tasting: bourbon, scotch, tequila, rum, gin, whatever.

Then think, horizontal or vertical? No, that’s not the position you’ll end up in after the tasting. A horizontal tasting flight compares spirits that are very similar in character but from different distilleries. You want to taste 12-year-old Highland scotches? Line up one scotch each from Dalmore, Glenmorangie, and Clynelish, and have at it.

A vertical tasting flight compares spirits of different ages, all from the same distillery—so, for example, you might taste Dalmore 12, Dalmore 15, and Dalmore 18.

There are other options, of course. You could do a general tasting—a free-for-all in which you just pit different bourbons against each other, or even bourbon versus scotch versus rye, with no regard for age or distillery.

Some distilleries age their products in different cask types. Glenmorangie, for example, offers scotches aged in sherry casks, port casks, and Sauternes casks. Each cask imparts a different flavor to the finish of the scotch, so tasting those opposite each other can be fun and instructive.

Or, finally, you can do an absolute beginners tasting, where you pit a scotch against a brandy against a rum, to give novices an introduction to the differences between entire categories of spirits. It’s up to you.

What You’ll Need

• Spirit: Enough for 1-1/2 ounces of each spirit, per taster. A typical 750ml bottle of spirit contains the equivalent of about 25 ounces, or 16 tasting servings.
• Water: For cleansing the palate between tastes. Choose the most neutral-tasting water you can, preferably spring water, not tap or mineral water. Because the water is meant to be a palate cleanser, you don’t want a chlorine or mineral taste to distract from the spirits.
• Glassware: Preferably stemmed glasses with a tulip shape, to capture the aroma and direct it to the nose. If you don’t want people to consider a spirit’s color, you might use black glassware; if you want the color to be part of the discussion, use the standard clear variety.
• Measuring cup: For measuring the spirits into glasses.

What You Might Want to Have Handy

• Tasting place mats or sheets: These help tasters keep track of what they’re sampling, and also provides a convenient place for note-taking. Having a circle on the place mat for each glass tasted helps prevent tasters from inadvertently swapping one sample for another.
• Pens: Enough said.
• Eyedropper: For adding water to a spirit to diminish the effect the alcohol itself has on the flavor.
• Crackers: For cleansing the palate between tastes. Choose something relatively neutral.
• Spit bucket: For tasters who don’t want to swallow. One plastic cup per person works fine.

What You’ll Do

As the host, it’s your responsibility (if you’re conducting a blind tasting) to pour the first tasting flight. (If you’re doing subsequent flights and someone else wants to take over the pouring, that’s fine.) Send your guests into another room and pour 1-1/2 ounces of each spirit into a glass.

Be sure to devise a system by which you can remember, later, which bottle goes with which glass. If the glasses are numbered from 1 to 3 (or 5 or whatever), left to right, you might hang numbered tags on the neck of each bottle before stashing them out of your guests’ sight.

As you’re leading the tasting, you have a couple of options. You can let the guests taste in silence, making notes for each spirit as they go along, and then talk about the flight in toto after the tasting. Or you can discuss each individual spirit as you’re tasting it.

If you, as the host, want to join in the tasting fun, feel free to do so, but if it’s a blind tasting, be careful not to tip your hand as to what’s in the glasses.

What Tasters Should Pay Attention To

• Clarity: If you’re using clear glassware, have the tasters hold the glass up to the light. Is the spirit clear? Even brown spirits will allow light through. A hazy or cloudy spirit is often the mark of poor distillation techniques.
• Color: There’s no right answer when it comes to the color of a spirit, except that white spirits should be white and brown spirits should be brown. But, for example, different bourbons can legitimately be different shades of brown. Color differences depend on too many factors to explore here, but make note of any color differences from one spirit to the next.
• Aroma: Pick up the glass, swirl the spirit around, get your nose into the glass, and sniff. Take short, fast sniffs like a dog does; or take a deep whiff. Take several sniffs. Sniffing methods vary depending on which expert you talk to, but the important idea to remember is that your nose and tongue work closely to impart flavor to the brain. So start getting a schnozz full of aroma even before you sip.
• Flavor: Take a sip and let it rest in your mouth. Swish it around and hold it. Let it coat your tongue and taste buds. Most quality spirits—whether gin, rum, tequila, bourbon, Scotch, or whatever—have a heck of a lot going on, flavorwise. Let it linger. Take another sip or two if you want. Don’t rush, this is the fun part.
• Finish: After you swallow (or spit), stop. Don’t immediately reach for a cracker or water glass. The spirit will continue to play out in your mouth for a few seconds. How long it lasts determines its finish. A longer finish doesn’t necessarily entail a better product, but it often does, so it’s worthwhile to take notes.

Have you ever attended a spirits tasting? Got any more tips for hosting one?

Even if you know little about drinking spirits neat, you now have the tools to explore them at a spirits tasting with friends. A spirits tasting is a great excuse to try something new, and it doesn’t have to break the bank because friends can contribute to the liquor selection.

Still not sure what to purchase for your spirits tasting party? Consider visiting Julio’s Liquors, located on Route 9 in Westborough, MA.

We typically host a free spirits tasting at least once a week, so you have the opportunity to become more familiar with fine spirits, as well as see what it’s like to be a part of a spirits tasting before you host one yourself. Julio’s Liquors also has a wide variety of spirits housed in our 17,000 square foot liquor store, perfect for picking up all of the necessary materials for your sprits tasting party. Contact us and we would be happy to point you in the right direction for your spirits tasting party.

Have you ever been to a spirits tasting before? What were your thoughts about the spirits tasting? We’d love to hear your comments in the section below.

The post How to Host a Spirits Tasting Party appeared first on Julio's Liquors.

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