1cupfresh, rinsed, chopped rose geranium flowers and leaves
Water
Sugar
Instructions
Using arak:
Pour off about a third of the arak and reserve for some other purpose. Stuff the empty space with rose geranium flowers and leaves.
Keep adding herb, pushing them down with a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon, until the bottle is almost full.
Pour a little of the arak back in to cover the flowers.
Cap the bottle and leave it alone in a dark place for two weeks. Then strain the liqueur and re-bottle into a clean bottle, capping it tightly.
Using vodka:
Make a simple syrup of 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar, boiled together until the sugar dissolves then cooled.
Remove 1 1/2 cups of vodka from the bottle and proceed to stuff flowers into it.
Top with the syrup and mix well. If there’s empty space, use the reserved vodka to fill it up.
Keep unused syrup, refrigerated, for sweetening later.
Cap tightly and store in a dark place for two weeks. Taste for sweetness, adding more syrup if you like. Just remember: the more syrup, the less alcohol content. Also, the flowers have a sweet taste themselves, so don’t over-sweeten by mistake.
Notes
The liqueur will keep for a long time in a dark cabinet, but you may find that after a year or so, it will acquire a slightly bitter, herbal aftertaste. When that happens, it’s time to make a fresh batch. It won’t hurt you – I actually rather enjoy it that way.Anyway, serve this floral drink very cold, as it is or mixed with tonic water. Or flavor plain soda with it. Light and relaxing, not only because of the alcohol, which is, after all, diluted by juice from the herb and simple syrup, but because rose geraniums have anti-depressive, anti-inflammatory medicinal properties.