It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are upon us, and that means two things: gift giving and entertaining. Before you let the stress seep in, we are going to knock out both in one swoop!
Cranberries are not just for Thanksgiving (or cranberry sauce!). These Drunken Cranberries are great to make and give away as gifts. They are quick, easy and, since Thanksgiving is over, you can usually find a surplus of cranberries on sale.
Gift giving aside, I recommend to have these slightly sweet, very tart little jewels as a staple for rounding out any holiday bar as you entertain. I like to add a couple of teaspoons to my Old Fashioneds in lieu of the brandied cherries and bitters that I would normal use. And they also make a great wintertime substitute for the limes in a classic mojito.
If you are a canner, you could can these using a water bath canner and processing for 15 minutes. But you can also just put them in a mason jar with a cute label and make sure they stay stored in the refrigerator.
Drunken Cranberries (Makes 3 Cups)
1½ cups simple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, zested
1 cup cranberries
1½ cups white rum
Cook the cranberries: In a large saucepan, combine the simple syrup, cinnamon sticks and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add then add the cranberries. Cook until they just begin to pop, about 1 minute.
Strain: Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Strain the liquid into a glass jar. Discard the orange zest and cinnamon sticks and add the cranberries to the jar. Then add the rum. If the cranberries are not completely submerged in the liquid, add equal parts simple syrup and rum until they are completely covered. Let cool, then cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to three weeks.
The Drunken Cranberry Old Fashioned
2 tsp. drunken cranberries, plus two tsp. of their liquid
1-2 slices orange
1½ oz. bourbon
Club soda, optional
In an Old Fashioned glass, muddle the cranberries, their liquid and the orange slices. Add ice to fill the glass. Top with bourbon and stir to mix. Pour club soda on top, if desired.
