Cara Cara Orange Liqueur →

The Cara Cara orange was discovered in Venezuela in 1976. A cousin to the Blood Orange, it is often mistaken as a cross between a grapefruit and a Navel orange. Cara Caras are medium-sized, seedless oranges with red to pink flesh and a pronounced sweet citrus flavor. While the Navel orange is sweet and a bit acidic, the Cara Cara has a more complex sweet, tart flavor with notes of cranberry, blackberry, raspberry, and rose. Not surprisingly this cross between a Washington Navel Orange and a Brazilian Bahia Navel Orange has become widely popular with cooks and chefs. When my wife surprised me with a bag of Cara Caras, the game was necessarily afoot. If you enjoy Limoncello or other homemade fruit liqueurs, you will love this Cara Cara Orange Liqueur. If you can’t find Cara Cara oranges, try Navel oranges, Blood Oranges, or Tangelos. Salute!

Cara Cara Orange Liqueur
Yield: about 4-5 wine bottles

INGREDIENTS
·  10 Cara Cara (or other) oranges: juice and zest
· 6 cups sugar
· 2 cups water
· 1.75 liters vodka (100 proof)

PREPARATION
1.  Sterilize a gallon glass jar with a tight lid by running it through the dishwasher or immersing it in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2.  With a vegetable peeler, remove the peel, not the bitter white pith, from the oranges. Cut the strips of zest into 2-3 inch pieces. Place the zest into the jar.
3.  Juice all the oranges to yield about 4 cups of liquid. Strain the juice through a fine strainer, pressing to remove the pulp and seeds.
4.  In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Add the juice to the sugar syrup in a steady stream, stirring continually. Bring the flavored syrup back to a boil, then pour into the jar.
5.  Allow the mixture to cool completely, then pour in the vodka. Shake the jar well to mix, cover tightly and store it in a cool dark place like the back corner of a closet or your basement. After one month, strain the liquid using multiple layers of cheesecloth. Pour the liqueur into sterilized bottles with caps or corks. It will be ready to sample then but will become even more flavorful after it ages for another month. Be patient and you will be rewarded! Salute!
6.  Serve chilled.

Adapted from a recipe by Cathy Barrow: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12370-cara-cara-citrus-liqueur

Vodka Espresso Martini →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020
Copy and paste to print the recipe.

VODKA ESPRESSO MARTINI
Ingredients:
2 oz. premium vodka (or tequila, if you prefer)
1 oz. chilled espresso (or other strong coffee: I use 50/50 Espresso and French Roast)
½ oz. Tia Maria (or Kahlúa)
½ oz. Amaretto (or Simple Syrup)
lightly whisked heavy cream to float on top
cocoa powder
orange zest
Preparation:
1. Pour the first four ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
2. Gently pour or spoon your desired amount of lightly whisked cream atop.
3. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the cream. (Using a fine-mesh sieve helps to achieve a more uniform light sprinkle.)
4. Rub the rim of the glass with a piece of orange zest and garnish with a twist of orange zest.

Here’s my version of the Vodka Espresso Martini, an after-dinner drink that will pick-you-up after a big feast. Cocktail Culture legend has it that the Vodka Espresso Martini was invented by British bartender Dick Bradsell in response to a request from model Kate Moss for a drink “...that will wake me up and f**k me up.” Cheers mate!