I Cordially Invite Y'all

...to delay your gratification and try a yummy and oh-so alcoholic treat -- a berry cordial made with distilled spirits, your favorite berries, a cup of sugar, and some common spices.

It makes a great Christmas gift and keeps your host too hammered to wake you up too early the day after Christmas! It's simple to make: in a clean storage jar, dump some chopped berries, sugar, spices (the recipes I've seen call for cloves, stick cinnamon, or coriander seeds) and seal it up for 2 to 6 months (the recipes differ). As for spirits, its a great way to convert a great big plastic bottle of value vodka, rum, or gin into a fine sippin' liquor perfect for after-dinner chats around the fireplace... just remember to transfer it from the Mason jar in which you steeped it to a fancier decanter before serving it to friends.

You can even pour the berries over ice cream afterwards... but do not serve to minors! As much as the berry flavors leech out into the liquor, the alcohol soaks into the fruit. Earlier his year, I mixed a batch of strawberries and raspberries; and strawberries and blackberries for the Holidays in Phoenix; I also just started a batch of raspberry only, since strawberry is kind of a boring flavor. I won't give you my recipes, because I haven't followed any particular one. Give G00gl3 a try, then experiment! Blog your results!