It has become a beloved, albeit unusual, Easter tradition. For the past few years on Easter eve my husband and I have gathered together with friends to nosh on such Scandinavian specialities as gravlax, pickled herring, rye crisps and pickled beets and sample each other’s take on infused vodka or, as we like to call our creations, homemade aquavit.

In the past I’ve made sweet concoctions such as raspberry and apple pie aquavits. This time around I decided to take a savory approach and steep bouquets garnis of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, marjoram and crushed red peppercorns. I assumed that the resulting liquor would go well in Bloody Marys or on its own as a Mediterranean-inspired libation. Unfortunately, my pairing resulted in a decent drain cleaner but an atrocious smelling and tasting drink.

Luckily, we had a Plan B and Plan C in place. A few weekends before the fete my husband drove to our old neighbors Frank and Jane’s farm and dug up some roots from a sassafras tree. Ever hear of sassafras? It’s the stuff from which our ancestors brewed root beer and sassafras tea. Our goal was to clean, chop and add the roots to vodka for a fabulous sassafras liquor. Great booze we did get but we also crafted something that, according to our friend Jane, could poison everyone. The FDA and online sources such as WebMD state that sassasfras contains the chemical safrole, which, in large amounts, can be toxic to consume. Since no one wants to inspire a Jonestown kind of night, I dug out the ingredients for Plan C, Toasted Almond Aquavit. Made from toasted blanched almonds, vanilla bean pod, simple syrup and vodka, it offered a safe, albeit, sweet alternative to “Sassafras Suicide.”

As with any infused liquor, the longer that you allow the nuts and vanilla to steep in the alcohol, the stronger the resulting flavor will be. If you are extremely time-pressed, you can add a smidgen of almond extract to the mixture to boost the flavor of the Toasted Almond Aquavit. Even then, you should allow at least a week or more for the ingredients to meld together.

TOASTED ALMOND AQUAVIT
Makes 4 cups
Note: Takes a minimum of 2 weeks to infuse

for the liqueur:
1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
2-inch vanilla bean, split
3 1/2 cups potato vodka
1/4 to 1/3 cup simple syrup (see below for recipe)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract, optional and to taste

for the simple syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

Place the almonds, vanilla bean and vodka in a large, lidded jar. Stir the ingredients together, put on the lid and place the jar in a cool spot. For the next two to four weeks shake the jar at least once/day to stir the ingredients together. As time passes, the vodka will change from transparent to a murky golden yellow.

When you are ready to decant the liquor, you will need to make the simple syrup. To do this, place 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, allow the sugar to dissolve and the liquid to reduce slightly, 1 to 3 minutes. The liquid should remain clear and not begin to color. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the syrup to room temperature.

Once the liquid has cooled, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup simple syrup to the vodka mixture and stir vigorously to combine. Taste and add more simple syrup if desired. If you are adding the optional almond extract to the liquor, do so at this time, tasting and adding more as needed.

Line a funnel-shaped strainer or colander with a folded piece of cheesecloth. Placing the strainer over another large jar or container, pour the aquavit through the strainer and into the new jar. Discard the cheesecloth containing the nuts and vanilla bean.

Using a funnel, pour the strained aquavit into a bottle or another lidded jar. Seal and refrigerate the Toasted Almond Aquavit until cold.