Kumquat Tangerine Liqueur Food

HOMEMADE TANGERINE LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Remove rinds from tangerines and scrape and discard white part from the inside.
• Save peeled tangerines for another use.
• set rinds on a jelly roll pan and place in a heated 250* oven and turn off heat. Leave in oven for 2 hours.
• Open oven door ajar and leave rinds in there overnight.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Let cool, then stir in 2 cups vodka.
• Stir again to dissolve any sugar, add remaining vodka and stir again.
• Place dried tangerine rinds in a half gallon jar or glass container that has a screw cap. Pour in sugar, vodka mixture. Shake to mix.
• Cap tightly and let stand in a dark place for 4 weeks. Strain through a coffee filter into a sterilized bottle. Seal or cork. Makes 1 quart.

MAGGIE'S LETHAL KUMQUAT LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Put the pricked kumquats, sugar and brandy in a jar that can be tightly sealed (should hold at least a litre). Store jar away from sunlight.
• Every day for the next 14 days, turn the jar over and back to distribute the sugar. You don't need to shake the jar.
• After the 14 days are up, keep turning the jar over and back at least once a week until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• When the sugar has dissolved, use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently remove the kumquats. Leave the liqueur to age in the jar.
• Dip these boozy kumquats in melted chocolate for a delicious treat with after-dinner coffee. Store in the freezer.
• Six months later, the liqueur is ready to be bottled and enjoyed. Maggie saves interesting-looking smaller bottles to use for gifts.
• Note: You can bottle the liqueur at three months (to give as a gift), but tell the recipient it is worth waiting the extra three months before tasting. The well-aged liqueur is thicker, sweeter and more syrupy.

KUMQUAT-TANGERINE LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Peel strips of zest from lemons and tangerines with a vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith; reserve fruit for another use. Put zest, kumquats, and vodka in a large nonreactive jar; cover and let stand at room temperature 2 to 3 days. Stir in simple syrup to taste. Refrigerate 1 day.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving some fruit for garnish, if desired. Divide among clean jars. Add some soaked fruit or strips of zest, if desired. Refrigerate up to 3 months.