The experiment started innocently enough. Friends had a kumquat tree and gave us a haul. They had cut them open and poured vodka over them to begin an infusion process. It sounded like a good idea. What could go wrong?
I filled 2 thermos bottle of kumquats and vodka and let them sit on the counter. On day ten, I pulled the kumquats out of one container and took it to Catalina to drink on the camping trip. The taste was a pleasant citrus experience.
A week and a half later, I pulled the kumquats out of the second thermos and that’s when the badness began. The good part of the kumquat is the outside: slightly sweet and aromatic. The inside is bitter, tart, too citrus-y. This second batch of vodka had become the dark side of the kumquat.
I wasn’t about to dispose of vodka, regardless of how bad it was. I could make it taste better if I mixed it with something, right? Thus the mixing began. Looking in my cabinet, I pulled out all kinds of things. First I tried curacao but discovered that it was made with laraha citrus; this did not need any additional citrus flavoring! Cointreau, too, is citrus. Drambuie was awful. I had a splash of Midori which was by far the best combination to make the vodka palatable (Midori was a food staple when I was senior in college.) There was not enough Midori for the amount of vodka left over. Tried Drambui with soda for a second time. Dreadful. Elderflower syrup was the final mixer to make the vodka go away.
I won’t infuse vodka with kumquats ever again. And if YOU do, only let it infuse for a week!
