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| Photo: Martha Holmberg |
This holiday season we’re
taking a break from the malls and instead getting crafty behind the bar and in
the kitchen with DIY gifts for our favorite imbibers. From spirited infusions
and custom tea blends to a soothing hand salve, here are the drinks-inspired
gifts we’ll be whipping up over the next couple of weeks.
Seasonal Spirits
Infusions
Cranberry-infused rum,
pomegranate-spiked vodka, fig-flavored gin—the holiday season offers ample
ingredients to help flavor spirits of all sorts. Infuse a batch (like the ones
featured here and here), gussy up in a decorative bottle (we especially love
these) and attach a few cocktail recipe cards for instant holiday cheer. And be
sure to check out our November/December issue for more great infusion ideas,
including a DIY recipe for spiced rum.
Cocktail bitters are more
popular than ever and surprisingly simple to make at home. We especially love
this bright, botanical formula that
combines winter citrus with rose petals and spice. Click here for
the recipe.
Festive Confections
Want to secure your invites
to next year’s seasonal soirées now? Then forgo the cookies and arrive armed
with a batch of one of our three favorite holiday confections—cocktail-ready
candied citrus peel, addicting apple cider caramels, and boozy white chocolate fudge. Package in a festive holiday tin and wait for a second round of invites
to roll in.
Adding a little
Imbibe-inspired spin to a soothing salve we spied on the crafty Design Sponge
site, this green tea-infused hand cream comes together in a matter of minutes,
but it manages to make hands feel silky-smooth for hours. Click here for the
recipe.
Custom Tea Blends
We love shopping bulk herbs
and botanicals online and at our local grocer anytime
of year, but when the holidays hit, you can bet we’re scooping overtime,
culling ingredients for our crafty custom tea blends. What are some of your
favorite flavors? Try experimenting with everything from spearmint to lavender
to cacao nibs to build a blend perfectly suited for all your tea-loving pals.
And check out “Blending In” from our September/October 2010 issue for more on
creating your own custom tisanes.
Homemade Cocoa Kit
We’re in the midst of a cocoa
renaissance, and though we’d never turn down a mug of decadent drinking
chocolate, this super-simple malted mix may just make some of the best hot
cocoa we’ve tasted. Pair it with a batch of our homemade marshmallows for an
extra-delicious holiday treat.
Thirsty for more diy
holiday treats? Check out these recipes for homemade vin d’orange, decadent
eggnog and sugar and spice candied nuts.