Ever find a secret drawer in your house full of vodka? We did. It’s not exactly secret (we forgot about the drawer [aaahhh: old age]), and it was hidden in plain sight (a narrow drawer next to the built-in wine fridge). But it certainly was full of vodka. So it was timely that the bride came back from Albuquerque with a mason jar full of dried fruit and a secret sauce by Camp Craft Cocktail.
The concept is simple: Pour your libation of interest (or simply water) into Craft’s mason jar full of steepables, put the jar in the fridge, and let it sit and steep for three days. After that, mix and match to your taste. Ours, the Cherry Limeade, came back blood red (there are dried blood oranges in there, after all). We tried it several ways, including a shot topped with Fever-Tree tonic water, topped with Topo Chico, and then mixed with a couple squirts of Master of Mixes’ simple syrup (and topped with Topo).
That last combo was magic (the mix is flavorful but leans heavily into the bitters, so the syrup put a smile on the cocktail), but probably not magic enough to compensate for the cost (that there jar cost $30 retail). On the other hand, if you’re fancy (and don’t drink your vodka straight from the bottle), the resulting six to eight shots amount to four to five clams a slam. This magic mason jar might also be a fun thing for a dinner party (early in the evening before your friends start drinking straight from the bottle). Camp has recipes at their web page as well as Tomatillo Sour and Cucumber G&T jars and a subscription service to keep the mixology flowing.
Master of Mixes’ simple syrup (We discovered this out in the deserts of New Mexico. It’s ready-to-go and lasts a LONG time [two to three years] in the fridge.)
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