YIELDS:
3 Cups
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Vodka, 80 proof and good quality
1 1/2 Tbsp. Pure Anise extract
1 3/4 Cups light corn syrup
1 Tsp. Vegetable glycerin
DIRECTIONS
1. In the jug or glass container you will store this liqueur in, mix the vodka and anise extract. Stir or shake (depending on the storage vessel) until really well mixed.
2. Add the corn syrup and glycerin and stir or shake again until well incorporated.
3. Seal the jug or glass container with its lid and store in a dark cool place for at least a month before bottling or serving.
4. Serve in small cordial glasses to start or finish the meal. Enjoy.
NOTE: This was my dad’s favorite cordial. He discovered Marie Brizard Anisette when he lived in New York and fell in love with it. Once he moved to California, it was hard to find. My making of this version solved the
problem! He really liked this drink and a small bottle at Christmas would last him all year. It became a ritual for me to make this and gift it to family members.
I wasn’t a big fan of anisette but every country I’d visit while traveling had
it’s own version and a little sip is almost required when traveling in some countries. (Think Ouzo in Greece and Sambuca in Italy.) So as I traveled, I really got to appreciate it as an aperitif or as my dad would say, a “digestive”. If you like black licorice, you’ll like this.
You’ll note that the recipe calls for glycerin. This was a trick of the trade that I picked up years and years ago. If you are like me, you are thinking “don’t they use glycerin to make soap?” LOL . But what I learned is that 1) vegetable glycerin has no taste 2) it’s use in this recipe is for one thing and one thing alone – the finish the liqueur has on your tongue.
You know how cordials feel thick and kind of coat your tongue when you have a sip? Well, that’s what the glycerin does in this recipe. You don’t have to use it but it turns a glass of licorice tasting liquid into a nice, thick and smooth cordial that lingers on your taste buds. This is well worth the investment and a small bottle lasts forever.
The best thing about this cordial is that it actually gets better the longer it sits. A month is good but longer is better. I get asked all the time if you can drink it before a month has passed. The answer is yes, of course. It will be just fine. You can also really shake it up and make sure it is well mixed and then pour into individual gift bottles before the one month mark. I’d add a little tag with a note about its “Best Use Date” and you are good to go.
This is super easy to make and as a gift, always appreciated.
