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      5 Festive Cranberry Recipes to Make Your Holiday Shine

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      This post is written in partnership with Ocean Spray®. 
      Our holiday gatherings may be smaller than usual this year, but they’ll be no less festive!
      And a good part of that is thanks to Ocean Spray® cranberry juice, cranberry sauce and Craisins® Dried Cranberries.
      From a beautiful holiday punch and a new sweet potato dish to a healthy veggie side, addictive chutney and a simple rustic dessert, cranberries are the star of the show. LEGGI TUTTO

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      Zesty Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Bowls

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      Packed with roasted chicken, black beans, rice and all the fixings, this people-pleaser is sure to become a staple in your weekly rotation!

      This post is written in partnership with Perdue. 
      Would you like to make dinner tonight fast and stress free? We thought so!
      Our secret these days is PERDUE® SHORT CUTS®. A few packages of fully-cooked, seasoned and sliced chicken breasts in your refrigerator guarantee dinner’s on the table in mere minutes.
      And Burrito Bowls are often the answer when 5pm approaches and time is tight. The nice thing is they’re totally customizable: you can lay out all of the ingredients in separate containers and everyone can build their own bowl. Love tomatoes but hate corn? No problem? Extra chicken, hold the beans? Totally doable.

      How Do I Make a Chicken Black Bean Burrito Bowl?
      Burrito bowls are quick and simple to pull together. That said, there’s no compromising on flavor here: the chicken strips are tender and juicy with Southwestern flavors like tomato, garlic, pepper, and a just a faint hint of spice from jalapeño.
      Simply warm the chicken (they’re fully cooked so you’re just warming them to serve) in a pan and season your leftover rice with a little lime and cilantro.
      Then heat the beans and corn with red onions and cumin, add the warmed chicken strips, and garnish with cherry tomatoes and store-bought guacamole.
      Boom! Dinner is served.

      What’s the Best Way to Reheat Leftover Rice?
      Honestly, one of our favorite ways to reheat rice is in the microwave — it’s quick but it also heats it evenly without drying it out. Adding a few teaspoons of water before popping it in to reheat ensures the rice will remain tender.

      How Can I Dress Up My Burrito Bowl?
      Feeling inspired to take these one step further? Sour cream and cheddar cheese are certainly always delicious if you have them on hand.
      If you’re looking to eek in a few more veggies, some shredded red cabbage or chopped romaine would add color and crunch! Really, the sky is the limit in terms of how to build your burrito bowls – as long as you’ve got the backbone (rice, chicken, beans) the variations are endless!

      Zesty Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Bowls Recipe

      Ingredients
      3 cups cooked brown rice
      2 tablespoons lime juice
      2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
      1 (15-ounce can) black beans, rinsed and drained
      1 cup frozen corn
      2 tablespoons chopped red onion
      1 teaspoon ground cumin
      Pinch of salt (optional)
      2 (9-ounce) packages PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, SOUTHWESTERN STYLE
      1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
      1/2 cup store-bought guacamole

      Method

      1 Season the rice: If your rice is not hot, reheat it in the microwave with a few teaspoons of water (this helps it to not dry out). Once warm, stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro.

      2 Heat the beans and corn: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir the beans, corn, onion, and cumin together until hot. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if you like. Alternatively, heat in the microwave, covered with a paper towel, for 2 minutes or until hot.

      3 Heat the chicken: Place the chicken in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel, and microwave for 2 minutes, or until the chicken is hot.
      4 Assemble the bowls: In each of 4 bowls, spoon about 1/2 cup of the rice, 1/2 cup of the beans, and the chicken strips. Add 1/4 cup of the cherry tomatoes to each bowl, and top with 2 tablespoons guacamole. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

      Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

      This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

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      Black Forest Cake

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      1 Preheat the oven and prepare the pans and bowls: Heat the oven to 350˚F. Place parchment paper circles in the bottoms of two 8-inch wide, 1 1/2-inch deep round cake pans; coat the pans with nonstick spray.
      Place the bowl and whisk (stand mixer, hand mixer, or stand-alone bowl and whisk) you’ll use for making whipped cream in the freezer.
      2 Make the cake: To a large bowl add both the granulated and brown sugars, breaking apart any large clumps of brown sugar with your fingers. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine.
      In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in the hot coffee to form a fairly loose batter.

      3 Divide the batter and bake the cake: Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
      Let the cakes cool for 30 minutes in the pans before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes more.
      Note: If you don’t want to finish assembling the cake, let the cakes cool completely and wrap each cake round individually in plastic wrap, then foil and refrigerate for a few days or freeze the cakes for up to three months.

      4 Cook the cherries: While the cakes are cooling, put the cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and released a lot of its juice, 15 to 20 minutes.
      Strain the fruit. Reserve both the liquid and the cherries. You will use them at different stages. (You should have about 1 cup cherry juice.)

      5 Make the cherry syrup: Return the cherry juice to the saucepan over medium heat and reduce until thick and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. You should have about 1/3 cup once it’s reduced. Stir in the Kirschwasser.

      6 Cut the cake rounds and brush them syrup: The cakes could be slightly sticky or tacky. To prevent them from sticking once sliced, place them on a square of parchment or have a large cake lifter or metal spatula nearby to help with transferring the rounds.
      Cut the cakes in half horizontally so you have 4 circles. Using a pastry brush, brush the cut sides and the edges of the cakes with the cherry syrup, to prevent them from drying out. You should end up using all of the syrup, but it’s okay if there’s a little bit leftover. Let the liquid soak in and wait for the cakes to finish cooling, about 30 minutes.

      7 Make the whipped cream: Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer. Using either a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer, or brute force, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and extract to the bowl; gradually increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until the cream holds stiff peaks, but isn’t lumpy. If using a stand mixer this comes together within a couple of minutes so don’t walk away.
      If making stabilized whipped cream find instructions for that here.

      8 Assemble and decorate the cake: Place one cake round on a plate cut-side up and top with a quarter of the whipped cream. Spread within a half inch of the edge and then scatter with a third of the cooked cherries; place another cake round on top and repeat for two more layers. Place the last cake round cut-side down on top and spread with the remaining whipped cream.
      Decorate with the shaved chocolate and cherries as desired.

      9 Serve: This cake is best eaten the day it’s assembled or the following day. But you can still enjoy any leftovers for a day or two after that so nothing goes to waste. LEGGI TUTTO

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      Perfect Mashed Potatoes

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      Want the creamiest mashed potatoes? Use Yukon Gold potatoes, lots of butter, and cream. This recipe makes the best mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any holiday in between.

      Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

      Everybody seems to have their favorite way of making mashed potatoes. Some cook them with the peel on, some without. Some add a little of the cooking water to the mashed potatoes for extra starch.
      I have found that the single thing that makes the biggest difference for making perfect creamy, heavenly potatoes is the type of potatoes you use.
      Video! How to Make Mashed Potatoes

      Yukon Golds Make The Best Mashed Potatoes
      Most people use starchy Russets for mashed potatoes. With their high starch and low water content, they’re good for baking, for making French fries, and for mashing. Here’s my secret though—even better than Russets for mashing are Yukon Golds.
      They’re a little more expensive than Russets, but worth it! They’re naturally creamy when mashed, never mealy, and have a slightly buttery flavor all on their own. Yukon golds make the most perfectly creamy, buttery mashed potatoes.

      Tips for the best mashed potatoes
      Mashed potatoes are essentially an easy dish, but we’ve found a few tips and tricks that ensure the best potatoes ever:
      Start cooking the potatoes in cold water: This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly. Otherwise, if you start with hot or boiling water, the outsides of the potatoes cook and soften while the middles are still hard and crunchy.
      Warm the butter and cream: This might seem like a fussy step, but it’s worth it. Warm butter and cream will blend more easily into the warm potatoes, making them creamier and softer.
      Use a potato masher: If your potatoes are cooked properly and the butter and cream are warm, you should have no problem mashing your potatoes into a creamy consistency with just a potato masher. Avoid using a blender or food processor; this can make your potatoes gluey.

      Can you reheat mashed potatoes?
      Yes! You can even make ahead and freeze mashed potatoes. Just make sure that you don’t skimp on the butter or cream. It’s the fat that helps the potatoes reheat well.
      Our favorite way to reheat mashed potatoes is to just put them in the microwave (covered) for a couple minutes, and then give them a good stir before serving.
      You can also put them in a slow cooker (a couple hours on low), or reheat in the oven or on the stovetop. Just stir occasionally, and add more butter and seasoning if needed to serve.
      More Mashed Potato Recipes

      Updated November 15, 2020 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle. No changes to the original recipe.

      Perfect Mashed Potatoes

      Always put potatoes in cold water to start, then bring to a boil. That way the potatoes cook more evenly.
      This recipe is easily doubled.

      Ingredients
      1 1/2 pounds (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      4 tablespoons (60 ml) heavy cream
      2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
      1 tablespoon milk (or more)
      Salt and pepper

      Method

      1 Cook the potatoes: Place the peeled and cut potatoes into a medium saucepan. Add cold water to the pan until the potatoes are covered by at least an inch. Add a half teaspoon of salt to the water.
      Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer, and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you can easily poke through the potatoes with a fork.
      2 Prep the butter and cream: While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter and warm the cream. You can heat them together in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
      3 Drain and mash the potatoes: When the potatoes are done, drain the water and place the steaming hot potatoes into a large bowl. Pour the heated cream and melted butter over the potatoes.
      Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Then use a strong wooden spoon (a metal spoon might bend) to beat further.
      Add milk and beat until the mashed potatoes are smooth. Don’t over-beat the potatoes or the mashed potatoes will end up gluey.
      Add salt and pepper to taste.

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      Elise Bauer
      Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family’s recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
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      Mix Up Your Weekly Rotation with These 5 Dinner Ideas

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      This meal plan is written in partnership with Perdue. 
      This month, we welcome back Marta Rivera for more of her meal plans. Marta is a trained chef, mom of twins and Army wife, and a Simply Recipes recipe tester and developer!
      Make it from scratch and you’ll be glad you did—even when life is busy.
      When I’m staring down a busy week, I pick simple recipes that come together quickly or recipes where I can break up the work. That’s exactly what the five dinner recipes in this week’s meal plan accomplish.
      Monday and Tuesday’s recipes can be prepped on the weekend. Take an hour on Sunday to roast the spaghetti squash and scrape the “noodles” for Monday’s dinner. While the squash is roasting, make the rub for the Slow Cooker Cider Pulled Pork, coat a pork shoulder and cook it in the slow cooker. Then, come Tuesday, all you need to do is shred it and make the sauce. You can even serve Monday night’s leftover spaghetti squash casserole as a side for Tuesday’s pulled pork sandwiches.
      If meal prep isn’t your thing, that’s OK. The recipes at the end of the week are quick, easy, and come together in less than 30 minutes. Do what works best for you. LEGGI TUTTO

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      Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon

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      This hearty Brussels sprouts and kale salad is full of crunchy nuts and bacon, and tossed with a tangy dressing. Plus, several elements can be prepared ahead, making assembly a breeze for your holiday table or weekday lunch.

      Photography Credit: Kalisa Marie Martin

      Salad doesn’t always get the glory it’s due, but that’s not the case here. With toasted nuts, dried fruit, crispy bacon, and a sweet and tangy vinaigrette, this salad can stand proudly on its own—or right alongside your holiday show-stoppers.
      The kale and Brussels sprouts provide the perfect base for these sweet and savory accompaniments, and the recipe itself is quite flexible. Want more cranberries? Go for it! No bacon? That’s fine, too. See below for ideas on swaps and substitutions.
      Whether you follow this recipe exactly or put your own spin on it, you’ll end up with a hearty salad with great texture and an exciting combination of flavors.

      HOW TO PREPARE YOUR VEGETABLES
      While you could use a food processor to shred your Brussels sprouts and kale, a sharp knife works just as well and leaves fewer dishes to wash!
      For the Brussels sprouts, peel off any dry or wilted outer leaves and trim off the stem end. Cut them in half lengthwise and, with the flat side down, thinly slice the sprouts into shreds.
      For the kale, remove the leaves from their stems, and then slice the leaves into thin strips.

      PERFECT SALAD SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
      When it comes to this salad you can swap almost every ingredient for something else to keep the flavors fresh and new every time you make it.
      As far as types of kale, both curly and lacinato can be used. The bacon adds a nice salty and savory bite so, if you omit it, use salted nuts to maintain the balance.
      Nuts: If you don’t have pecans, other nuts like walnuts, almonds, or pistachios would be delicious. Need it to be nut-free? Pumpkin seeds would also be great.
      Dried Fruit: You could replace the dried cranberries with dried cherries or golden raisins or even fresh fruit like pomegranate arils.
      Cheese: If you’d like to add cheese to this salad, you could go just about any direction. A soft goat cheese, funky blue cheese, hard pecorino—whatever you like! Use between 1/2 to 3/4 cup (based on your preference) and add to the salad right before serving.
      HOW TO MAKE BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD AHEAD OF TIME
      This is a great make-ahead dish because several of the components can be prepared at least one day in advance.
      Shred the kale and Brussels sprouts and store them in an airtight container in the fridge the day before you want to serve the salad.
      Toast and chop the nuts a week in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
      Make the dressing three days in advance. Just keep it in the fridge.
      Once all of the ingredients are combined, you still have time on your side. It actually needs 10 to 30 minutes for the kale to soften and the flavors to combine but, after that, it’s best eaten that same day. It will still be delicious a couple of days later, though the dressing will continue to soften the kale especially, making the salad wilt.

      MORE FESTIVE SALADS TO LOVE

      Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon Recipe

      This salad is best enjoyed the day it is prepared. After a couple of days, the dressed salad, though wilted, will still be delicious. I use two kinds of mustard, but if you only have one or the other that’s okay too.

      Ingredients
      For the Salad:
      1 pound Brussels sprouts, wilted outer leaves peeled off and discarded
      1 pound fresh kale, about 1 large bunch, rinsed and patted dry
      6 strips of bacon
      1 cup pecan halves
      1/2 cup dried cranberries
      For the Dressing:
      1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
      2 tablespoons maple syrup
      2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
      1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
      1/2 cup olive oil

      Method

      1 Cook bacon: In a large skillet lay bacon in individual slices, cook until desired level of doneness. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Cool and chop.

      2 Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread pecans out over a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once, until toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a cutting board to cool then roughly chop.

      3 Prepare the Brussels sprouts and kale: Trim off the bottom of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half, lengthwise. Then, with the flat side down, thinly slice the sprouts into shreds.
      Remove the kale leaves from their stems and, using a knife, thinly slice the leaves into strips. Discard the stems or save for another use. Into a large bowl, add the Brussels sprouts and kale. Mix to combine.

      4 Make the dressing and dress salad: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, mustards, salt, and pepper.
      Whisk in the oil until thoroughly combined and then pour the dressing onto the combined Brussels sprouts and kale. Mix until well coated and let sit at room temperature 10 to 30 minutes (refrigerate if longer).

      5 Assemble and serve: When ready to serve, add most of the pecans, bacon, and cranberries and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining pecans, bacon, and cranberries.

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      Kalisa Marie Martin
      Kalisa Marie Martin is a classically-trained chef with a background in food science and nutrition, based in the Philadelphia area. She shares her unique perspective on food with the world at Kalisa Marie Eats. Kalisa has also been gluten-free for over 15 years and loves the challenge of recreating whatever she might be craving.
      More from Kalisa LEGGI TUTTO

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      One Simply Terrific Thing: Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

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      Ingredient GuidesOne Simply Terrific Thing

      Maldon Sea Salt Flakes aren’t just a fancy salt; they’re a cooking essential and deserve a space in every home cook’s pantry.

      Print

      Photography Credit: Sheela Prakash

      Welcome to One Simply Terrific Thing, our ongoing series highlighting the small tools, kitchen goods, and ingredients that make life better!

      I am someone who will add more items to my online shopping cart in order to get free shipping—which is exactly how a box of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes ($6 for an 8.5 ounce box) landed in my kitchen.
      I was dubious about bringing another salt into my kitchen. Isn’t one enough? But my food friends had been singing the praises of Maldon for years, so I was curious what the fuss was all about.
      Now I am so glad I added it to my cart, because I’ve joined them in the praise!
      FINISHING SALT VS COOKING SALT
      Maldon’s flaky sea salt is a finishing salt, not a cooking salt—which is what distinguishes it from kosher salt, table salt, and other salts you may have in your pantry.
      When you sprinkle salt all over chicken or vegetables before roasting, you do it with a cooking salt to season food while it cooks. But a finishing salt is used to season food at the end of cooking instead of at the beginning.

      There are three reasons why Maldon is specifically a finishing salt.
      Its texture is wildly unique: Rather than evenly-sized granules, Maldon sea salt flakes are irregularly-shaped, pyramid-like crystals. Not only are they pretty to look at, they lend a lovely crunch to dishes.
      Their flavor isn’t all salt. In fact, it’s quite delicate and a bit briny.
      It’s sold in small quantities: The box of Maldon sea salt flakes is quite small, so it would be a waste to lose the crunch and flavor by dissolving it into soups or sauces.
      HOW TO USE MALDON SEA SALT FLAKES IN YOUR COOKING
      There are endless ways to use Maldon sea salt flakes! Every night, I sprinkle a pinch on our basic green salad that graces the table, which always makes it a lot more interesting. Scrambled eggs usually get a sprinkle when they’re on my plate, too, as does avocado toast, simple seared steak or fish, and pretty much all sautéed veggies.
      Where the real fun comes in, though, is dessert! Top your favorite chocolate chip cookies or brownies with a pinch before they head into the oven, or try a sprinkle on a bowl of your favorite pudding (chocolate or butterscotch are especially well-suited).
      Since the salt crystals are large and you’re sprinkling the salt right on top, they won’t dissolve into your treat. Rather, you’ll be left with a lightly salty crunch that offsets the sweetness beautifully.

      This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

      Sheela Prakash
      Sheela Prakash is a food and wine writer, recipe developer, and the author of Mediterranean Every Day. Her writing and recipes can be found in numerous online and print publications, including Kitchn, Epicurious, Food52, Serious Eats, Tasting Table, The Splendid Table, Culture Cheese Magazine, Clean Plates, and Slow Food USA.Sheela received her master’s degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy, holds Level 2 and Level 3 Awards in Wines from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), graduated from New York University’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, and is also a Registered Dietitian.
      More from Sheela LEGGI TUTTO

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      Homemade Campari

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      Making your own Campari at home is easy and affordable. Use it to make all your favorite campari cocktails, like a Negroni, a Boulevardier, or a Campari Spritz! Homemade Campari also makes a great gift for your cocktail-loving friends.

      Campari is an herbaceous, bittersweet Italian liqueur that took the 1860s by storm and whose popularity continues today. Campari gives the Negroni its bouquet of orange and grapefruit, and plenty of other drinks their elan vital.
      Make your own with this easy recipe. Keep the bottle for your own home bar, or generously give it away as a gift.

      WHAT IS CAMPARI?
      Campari is a blend of between ten and seventy herbs, flowers, and roots infused into a high-proof alcohol and sweetened with sugar syrup. The Campari you find on store shelves is still made outside Milan, Italy according to Gaspare Campari’s original 1860 recipe.
      While their recipe is a closely held secret – it’s said that outside of the factory director, not a soul knows all of the herbs included – gentian, oranges, rhubarb, and ginseng will get you in the vicinity. The rest of the ingredients simply help add more body, complexity, and brightness to the liquor.
      HOMEMADE CAMPARI IS AFFORDABLE AND EASY
      Why make your own Campari? Aside from being able to customize the sweetness, bitterness, citrus, and proof of your Campari, there is the affordability: for the cost of a single bottle of store-bought Campari and a scant amount of time, you could easily make 5 half-bottles (375ml) of your own.
      Making homemade Campari also requires just 20 minutes of hands-on time: Order your ingredients online, and once they arrive, all you need to do is infuse, strain, and you’re good to go with one of the most desired liqueurs in the world. It’s beautiful.

      WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED?
      Your ingredients fall into a few categories:
      BITTERING AGENTS: These that do just that: contribute the bitter complexity that stimulates the appetite and adds shape to sweetness. Gentian, the main source of our bitterness here, gives a radiating, resonant and tangy bitterness. Wild Cherry Bark is more balanced in its bitterness, and introduces some fruit tastes. Angelica root introduces a bold, grapefruit and pepper tone, while ginseng brings a more clean, earthy bite. Wormwood, more famous for its association with absinthe, includes just a hint of anise or sweet licorice with its intense bitterness.
      FLAVORING BOTANICALS: These add depth and layers of complexity, and they contribute to a more flavorful experience overall. Our (dried) lemon peel, orange peel, and rhubarb root bring style to the overall taste. (Note: this is dried rhubarb root, different from fresh rhubarb stalks available in grocery stores.)
      COLOR: As for that bright red color associated with Campari? Until recently this color came from dried cochineal beetles, though today it’s produced using artificial coloring. What a world! Carmine or beetles are still available for your recipe, but you may also go with red food coloring for an easier time of it.
      SWEETNESS: Campari is a surprisingly sweet liqueur that just happens to be so bitter that you’d never noticed. If you are careful enough in adding a rich simple syrup to your water volume, you can even match the brix value (or sweetness) of store-bought Campari, but easier still is adjusting to your own tastes.
      WHERE TO BUY INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE
      You can order all of your ingredients from the following online stores:

      WHAT ALCOHOLS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CAMPARI?
      You need but one alcohol to make your own Campari: An extremely high-proof neutral grain spirit.
      Galen’s 151 and Everclear Grain Alcohol 151 are ever-reliable options, and fairly widely available. While you can certainly try out darker spirits, the neutral grain spirits allow the flavors to develop more fully and better stand out.
      150 proof or higher is definitely recommended. The higher alcohol content will more effectively and quickly draw out the flavor from those ingredients – but you could go as low as 100 proof before you would see the alcohol failing to extract the flavor you so critically need.
      WHAT’S THE BASIC PROCESS FOR MAKING CAMPARI?
      The liberating pleasure here is in just how simple it can be to make your own Campari.
      Begin by combining the dry ingredients with your high-proof spirit. Seal the jar and shake. Set aside for 14 – 21 days, shaking once each day. The mixture is ready anytime within this time period. The color will slowly turn brown, and the taste will be so bitter as to be undrinkable. Don’t worry, all is well.
      After that steeping, strain the mixture using a sieve, then filter through cheesecloth, coffee filter, or a mesh superbag. The bitter, high-alcohol base that results is the heart of your Campari, and needs only a bit of sweetness, and some water to bring down the proof.
      To match the 28.5% alcohol-by-volume (ABV) of Italian Campari, we’ll need to “water down” that alcohol some. And to match the sweetness, we’ll need to introduce some sugar. You can do both at once by bringing 4 cups of water to a simmer in a saucepan and stirring in sugar. After it has fully dissolved, turn off the heat and let it cool.
      When your syrup has cooled, slowly stir it into the bitter, infused alcohol. You will likely need all of it, but once you have added half, taste it frequently, and choose your own stopping point. Hint: It should taste great.
      If you are put off by the color, and/or simply want it to resemble the Campari to which you’ve grown so accustomed, add red food coloring until it settles at that bright, rosy hue you recognize.

      THE BEST BOTTLES FOR CAMPARI
      When it comes to storing your Campari, so long as you are storing these out of direct sunlight, you can get by with any clear glass bottle or jar. That said, darker bottles do a better job of preventing light from gradually causing oxidization and evaporation. It may take months or even well over a year to notice a change, but you don’t have any other concerns outside of that.
      Your best bet would be to find something that seems easy to use and enjoyable to look at. The rest will work out.
      For more bespoke bottles, Crate and Barrel has decanters that are what you once imagined your adulthood would look like, while Specialty Bottle has a nearly endless selection of jars and bottles. This recipe will yield five 375ml bottles – perfect for giving away four as gifts, and saving one for yourself.
      HOW TO USE HOMEMADE CAMPARI
      If you’re looking for inspiration, there are a small number of core cocktails to turn to first:
      Americano: The mother of the Negroni, the Americano is a simple but most-refreshing blend of 1oz Campari and 1oz sweet vermouth, topped with soda water.
      Negroni: Evolved from the Americano, the Negroni is the flagship cocktail of Campari, typically an equal parts mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
      Boulevardier: The Negroni, this time with bourbon filling in for gin.
      Old Pal: A Boulevardier, but with a drier, spicier rye substituting for bourbon.
      Old Friend: Further afield than the above, this is a bright, beautiful blend of gin, grapefruit juice, Campari, and St Germain elderflower liqueur.

      HOW LONG WILL THIS HOMEMADE CAMPARI LAST?
      Your bottle of Campari will never truly go bad if kept in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight. If you are storing half-empty bottles in the light for over a year, you may notice changes owing to oxidization and an eventual evaporation, but I’m confident you will have consumed your homemade Campari long before then.
      As for temperature, Campari is high-enough proof that you needn’t refrigerate it, but know that warmer temperatures will make it come across as sweeter. That one comes down to preference!
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