Vodka and Growing up

         Lately I've been spending quite a bit of time contemplating the tangible signs that I might in fact be growing up. This thought first germinated when I  thought about buying frames for my posters. Some Background: After many years of attending punks shows I have accumulating several hundred screen printed fliers. They have followed  me from dorm rooms to disheveled group houses, into cramped apartments and across state lines. While setting up my latest room in my new apartment, I was struck with the uncontrollable urge to wait to hang them until I had frames. I can honestly say this was the first time I even thought about tacking them up with more than just a couple "o"s of masking tape. It's not that I don't value art, it's just that as a constantly mobile person with an overwhelmingly nomadic spirit I find myself feeling bogged down by the ownership of unnecessary things. And framing posters? That's just something my parents would do. Well that and I dated someone once that framed theirs. And all of their prints were matted and framed in the same thin fake silver frames. Their room looked like a dentists office. (Needless to say it was not a long lasting relationships). It was a fleeting feeling and I ended up tacking them up with those 3m double stick tape squares. But the impression that my tastes were changing has stuck around.
            What does this have to do with Vodka? Well not very much. Except that another recent urge that I've decided has something to do with getting older is the desire to have a well stocked liquor cabinet. I feel I should preface this by saying that I've never been much of a drinker. I love a good craft beer, but a gluten sensitivity has made imbibing in my alcohol of choice generally difficult. Other than that, well I don't really enjoy the taste of liquor. I want to my gin and tonic to have ... a lot more tonic if you catch my drift. So I find myself slowly slipping into the realm of mixed drinks. Which is fine, because I love things that are pink and fizzy, that have stalks of mint or pieces of cucumber, a wedge of lime or a stack of olives.The only drinks I really want  any more are those typically categorized as "girl drinks" (I'm too tired to do a long feminist unpacking of this term right now)...

            The whole liquor cabinet thing can also be linked back to my new found attraction to having people over for dinner, like a party at dinner. A Dinner Party. See? I. AM. SO. ADULT.  And what better thing to serve your guests during the summer than pretty little drinks in mason jars, while we swelter it out in front of the oscillating fan. (The major downside of my darling little apartment is the absence of a porch). The primary obstacle here is that I am not a person of any great means. As a self employed artist I am lucky if I can afford a cheap 40z after a long days work every once and a while. The occasional splurge on some mediocre gin or a mid range whiskey seems to come only after the sale of an exceptionally pricey piece. So what's a broke kid with admittedly fancy tastes to do? Well for one learn how to dress up really cheap alcohol. And two brew your own (this will show up in later entries).
            A good place to start is infusions, they are simple, low commitment and don't require any special equipment. Here's a photo of my most current infusions.

            For infusions using dried items you only need 80 proof Vodka, so just go to the store and pick up the biggest cheapest ol' container of the stuff you can find. You'll need nice clean jars with lids to keep the vodka in, a mason jar or anything with a stopper would work just fine. The infusions you see above are coffee, rose-hip, and teaberry. It's totally simple, just take a handful of whatever dried herb, coffee, etc. you want and put it in the bottom of the jar and then pour in the vodka. Some bits might float but it should be fine. The vodka will change in color and will take on the smell and taste of whatever you add. You can leave the flavoring agent in for a while, or strain it out after a few weeks. Use your nose and your taste buds to figure out the right ratios. The infused vodka can be used in mixed drinks or you can drink it on its own. It can even be used as a flavoring agent in cooking. The tincture you're creating can be used like an extract (try making your own vanilla extract with vodka and whole vanilla beans), or it can be taken medicinally in small doses (if you've made a strong infusion using a medicinal herb). It keeps far longer than it should ever take you to finish it off, and adds a splash of color even the most simple of drink combination!