During Prohibition, like many people in the Italian community where she lived, my grandmother made homemade liquors. When she passed on, I inherited a beautiful marquetry box with several flavoring agents she used to make her homemade spirits. When I was young, it was a tradition for my father and me to make wine every season…sweet grape wine, elderberry, or dandelion wines. Now, to keep the family tradition alive, each spring when local fruits come into season, I make a fresh batch of fruit liqueur in their honor. Salute Nonna e Papà!

RASPBERRY LIQUEUR (LIQUORE AL LAMPONE)
Ingredients
· .75 liter- 100 proof vodka or Everclear grain alcohol (.75 liter = 3 cups)
· 2 cups fresh raspberries broken up or lightly mashed
· ½ - 1 cup of simple syrup to taste (1:1 sugar to water)

Preparation:
Use a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid.
1. Break up or mash the raspberries and place them in a large, sterilized glass jar.
2. Combine the fruit slurry with half the vodka and shake to mix well.
3. Close the container and rest in a cool dark place for 3 weeks.
4. After 3 weeks, strain the raspberry-vodka slurry through a fine sieve, pressing down to express as much juice as possible. Rinse the glass jar to remove any bits of fruit and pour the raspberry-vodka liquid back into the jar.
5. Make the simple syrup by adding equal amounts of water and sugar; bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature before using.
6. Add the remaining vodka and ½ cup of simple syrup (see *Note); shake, seal, and rest for six weeks in a cool dark place.
7. Strain the liqueur through a double layer of cheesecloth or a non-chlorinated paper coffee filter.
8. Bottle, using sterilized bottles. Store the liqueur in a cool dark place. Serve chilled.

*Note: when adding the simple syrup, start with a half cup and taste the liqueur for sweetness. If you want a sweeter liqueur, add an extra ¼ cup of simple syrup at a time until you reach your desired sweetness.