Backyard Bittersweet Aperitif
This Bittersweet Backyard Aperitif captures your garden in a glass: artichoke leaves, lemon verbena, and bay steep into bitters and herbal liqueur, then are blended into a crisp, balanced drink. Served over ice with a splash of soda and a citrus wedge, it’s a fragrant toast to spring.
Ingredients
Artichoke Bitters
- 5 older artichoke leaves
- 5 Meyer lemons
- 1 gallon high-proof vodka (or Everclear grain alchohol)
Bay Leaf And Verbena Liqueur
- 40 fresh bay leaves
- 1 cup fresh lemon verbena leaves
- 2 cups vodka or high-prook grain alcohol
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups sugar
Bittersweet Backyard Aperitif
- artichoke bitters
- bay leaf and verbena liqueur
- seltzer
- ice
- blood orange wedges garnish
Instructions
Artichoke Bitters
- Rinse the artichoke leaves and peel the lemons. Place the leaves and peel in a gallon jar, add vodka or Everclear. Make sure the ingredients are submerged, screw on the lid, and let steep for three weeks or more. Strain into smaller bottles, squeezing liquid out of the leaves.
Bay Leaf And Verbena Liqueur
- Wash bay and verbena. Add to one one-gallon jar, pour in vodka. Shake and close the lid. Let it sit for one to two months. Strain. Boil the sugar and water to dissolve the sugar. Let cool. Add to vodka mix. (You can serve this as a sweet after-dinner liqueur very well chilled in shot glasses, or use it to make a bittersweet Backyard Aperitif.)
Bittersweet Backyard Aperitif
- To make a bittersweet aperitif, combine 2/3 bitters with 1/3 sweet liqueur. Taste and add more of either as desired. Serve over ice with a wedge of Meyer lemon or blood orange, and a splash of soda.
Notes
You can serve this as a sweet after-dinner liqueur very well chilled in shot glasses, or use it to make a bittersweet Backyard Aperitif.
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