About two weeks ago I bought a pomegranate at the grocery store with no particular use in mind.  But I love the taste of pomegranates and I wanted to, at the very least, open it with my daughters and let them have fun picking at and tasting the tart juicy little seeds.  I thought I’d find a use for it, but a few days went by and I wasn’t in the kitchen quite as much as I thought.  By last Sunday, I looked at that beautiful big bright red pomegranate and said to my husband, “I need to put that pomegranate to use….do we have any vodka?”  I had pinned something on infusing vodkas many months ago and what stuck out to me was the suggested combinations of fruits and herbs such as lemon mint, and strawberry basil.  I was inspired to add an herb to my pomegranate and I decided on rosemary (so pretty and festive at this time of year).  And so it was….I threw some pomegranate seeds, rosemary and vodka in one 16 oz mason jar and just pomegranate seeds and vodka in the second 16 oz mason jar (my husband was less interested in the herbal addition so I made some without the rosemary).  We left the jars for five days in the cold, dark garage, shook them daily and the result was fantastic.  It was fun to watch the juice around the pomegranate seeds leave the seeds and infuse into the actual vodka until it was a legit dark pink color (note the difference in the two photos above — 1st day vs. 5th day).  There are so many festive uses for this vodka.  It’d be great in a signature cocktail if you are throwing a Christmas party or a fun “do it yourself” gift to friends (just package up a little bottle of vodka, a pomegranate, a small package of rosemary and a mason jar and they can make it whenever they like).  I hope you have fun with this one!!!

Pomegranate Rosemary Infused Vodka (Makes 32 oz)

Ingredients:

32 oz good quality vodka

1 large pomegranate, seeds removed

2 sprigs rosemary

2 16 oz or 1 32 oz mason jar(s)

Directions:

Cut pomegranate in half.  Remove seeds carefully not to loose juice (an easy way to remove pomegranate seeds that I learned from Tricia Wheeler of The Seasoned Farmhouse — cut the pomegranate in half, double bag it in two zip lock freezer bags, hold onto the bag in one hand and swing the bagged pomegranate at the counter a few times until the seeds start to pop out of the casings).  Open bag and remove seeds.  If using one 32 oz jar, place all seeds in jar, one sprig of rosemary and fill with vodka (Or try two 16 oz jars with half of the pomegranate seeds in each — I left rosemary out of one of them at my husband’s request).  Shake vigorously for 1 minute. Place jars in a cold dark spot and shake daily.  Leave for at least 3 days.  When ready to open, strain mixture thoroughly.  Discard rosemary but keep the vodka infused pomegranate seeds for garnish (some will have lost the red color but some may still have it).  Below are some ideas for drinks.

Pomegranate Rosemary Cosmo

3 oz pomegranate rosemary vodka

3 oz sprite, 7 up, soda water

sugar to line rim of glass

squeeze of lime or lemon

Rub a cut wedge of lemon or lime along the rim of a martini glass. Dip rim in sugar.  In shaker, combine lots of ice, vodka, sprite/7 up/soda water and shake thoroughly.  Pour into martini glass.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds and sprig of rosemary.

Pomegranate Rosemary Lemon/Lime Cocktail

1 1/2 oz pomegranate rosemary vodka

3 oz. 7 up, sprite, soda water

generous squeeze of lemon or lime

Fill glass with ice, pour the above ingredients in and mix.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Pomegranate Orange Fizz Cocktail

1 1/2 oz pomegranate vodka

1-2 oz orange juice

1-2 oz sprite, 7 up or soda

Fill glass with ice, pour the above ingredients in and mix.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds.