Kurt Keydel's amaro

2 c grain alcohol (alcohol as high as possible), 3c neutral dry brandy, or 3c vodka
1 tsp of one or more of each the following dried roots: gentian root, angelica root, wormwood, orris root, galangal root, burdock root

1 vanilla bean or tbsp of vanilla bean extract
1-1/2 tsp Juniper berries (dried) approx 10-14 berries)
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 tsp dried orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
1 sprig of rosemary (about 20 -30 leaves)
4-5 peppermint leaves
4-5 fresh sage, or 2-3 dried sage leaves
1/4 tsp saffron
1 tsp lemon balm (melissa oficianalis)
1 star anise – soak for 1-2 days and test. Star anise has an intense flavor and will overpower your mixture very quickly if you’re not careful. Keep infusing to taste.

1. Soak the bittering agents (the "1 tsp of one or more..." line) for 5-7 days in grain alcohol or 2 weeks in 80-proof vodka/brandy.

2. Remove the bittering agents; add the flavoring ingredients (everything else) and soak 2-3 days (except take star anise out after a day)
3. Strain, add simple syrup, distilled water, and white vermouth to taste.
4. (optional) Add mixture to small oak barrel and let it rest for 1 – 3 months, OR add toasted oak chips (about 3 tbsp) to mixture, and soak for up to 4 weeks

5. (optional) if after the mellowing period you wish to darken it further, you will need to create caramel coloring by heating granulated or brown sugar in a pan on the stovetop and dilute CAREFULLY and SLOWLY with boiling water. Add up to 1 oz of caramel coloring to darken your amaro more.

6. (optional) See the fining process in an earlier post (https://tickledpalate.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/italian-bitters-amo-amas-amat-amamos-amari/) if the mixture is too cloudy to your liking. You can let it settle for a few days and try to siphon off the clearer liqueur above any sediment.
Once it is clear, bottle it up. It will be certainly drinkable now, but will continue to mellow over the next few months. Store it in a cool dark cupboard.

Source: Kurt Keydel, https://tickledpalate.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/how-to-make-amaro-a-basic-recipe/

Dan's notes:
First try: 8oz 120pf alcohol, Gentian Orris Wormwood and Angelica bitterers, 150ml syrup, 150ml water. Sweet, versatile, pleasant.
Second try: 8oz 120pf, Orris and Wormwood, no rosemary or lemon balm, plus licorice and fennel. Might have oversteeped. 150ml syrup, 100ml water. Licorice is noticeable. Stronger overall.

Rite of Spring Amaro

1 tsp chopped dried orange peel

1 tsp anise seeds

6 green cardamom pods

1 tbsp wormwood

1 tbsp angelica root

1 tsp licorice root

1 tsp dried hyssop

1 tbsp dried hops

1 tsp dried artichoke leaf

1 tsp dried lemongrass

zest of 1 orange, 1 lemon, and 1 grapefruit, cut into strips

6 mint sprigs

6 fresh sage leaves

3 cups fresh high proof vodka, 151, or everclear

Combine, steep 3 weeks, add syrup and water to taste.

Source: Amaro by Brad Thomas Parsons

Attempts:
325ml 120pf, 175ml simple syrup, 250ml water - a little strong still but some neat flavors that are not as common in the rest of the ones I've been making.
325ml 120pf, 125ml syrup, 250ml water; without hops and lemongrass, with lemon thyme. Also pretty good.
200ml 120pf, 100ml syrup, 200ml water. Without sage, lemongrass and grapefruit; with rose flowers. A little less licorice, a little sweeter, though might be just my imagination.

Summer Solstice Amaro

1 tbsp chopped dried orange peel
1 tsp anise seeds
1 tsp grains of paradise
2 tbsp cinchona bark
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 oranges' zest, cut into strips
2 lemons' zest, cut into strips
6 fresh sage leaves
6 fresh basil leaves
3 cups high-proof vodka or 151 or everclear

simple syrup and water

Combine everything, steep 3 weeks. Add syrup and water to taste.
300 ml 120 proof + 125 ml syrup + 125ml water
250 ml 120 proof, 100 ml syrup, 100 ml water, with 1 tsp ground cinchona, 1 tbsp cherry bark, and 1 tsp gentian instead of the 2 tbsp cinchona, and with fresh strawberries instead of dried cherries - too sweet and "fresh" tasting, almost candy like.
Source: Amaro by Brad Thomas Parsons

Serious Eats amaro

1 teaspoon anise seeds
6 fresh sage leaves
6 fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves (about 1 sprig's worth)
1 allspice berry
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon gentian root

3 cups 151-proof neutral grain spirit (see note)
sugar
water

Grind or mortar/pestle everything, put it in the alcohol, steep 3 weeks, shaking frequently.
Add simple syrup and water to taste.
I've tried:
325ml 151-proof alcohol, 125ml syrup, 425ml water. Turned out pretty well, wintery, spicy.
160ml 120-proof alcohol, 100ml syrup, 150ml water. Also turned out well.
210ml 80-proof alcohol, 75ml syrup, 125ml water. A little weak.

Source: Marcia Simmons, Serious Eats, https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/05/diy-amaro-homemade-amari-averna-recipe.html

Edit: also source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/amaro-cucciolo/13646/ - theirs has also the rind of 1 grapefruit. That one's from Jeff Faile, tested by Carrie Allan.

Popular Mechanics Amaro

750-ml bottle ­Spirytus Rektyfikowany, ­Everclear, high-proof vodka, or other strong neutral spirit

Quick-infusing stuff:
5 grams whole cloves
2 grams cinnamon bark
5 grams juniper berries
5 grams gentian root
5 grams cinchona bark

Slow-infusing stuff:
5 grams allspice
5 grams cardamom
10 grams orris root
10 grams fresh ginger
15 grams grapefruit peel
5 grams fresh rosemary
1 vanilla bean
5 grams rhubarb root
10 grams rosebuds
3 grams calendula buds
3 grams yarrow

Simple syrup (equal volumes sugar and water, melted)
Water

Put the quick-infusing stuff in the alcohol. Wait about 3 days, or whenever it smells/tastes pungent enough. Strain. Add the other stuff, wait about a week.
Add syrup until it's not bitter, then add water until it doesn't burn. I added about half as much syrup, and equally as much water, to 151-proof Everclear base. So, 300ml alcohol, 150ml syrup, 300ml water.

Source: Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/food-drink/a18930162/how-to-make-amaro/

Chengdu Zajiang Mian

Pork topping for 4-6 servings (scale as you want):
1 lb ground pork
3 tbsp sambal oelek or 3 pickled medium-hot red chilies
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp tian mian jiang/sweet wheat sauce

Sauce per serving:
1 tsp melted lard (optional)
2 tbsp chili oil with flakes
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken broth
1 tsp zhenjiang black vinegar
1 tsp runny Chinese sesame paste
1/4 tsp or more roasted ground Sichuan pepper
2 tsp thinly sliced green onions

4 oz dried noodles per serving
bok choy and/or fried egg (optional)

1. Make pork topping: Saute pork until beginning to brown and juices are mostly cooked off. Add pickled chilies and garlic, cook, mix with pork. Add water, soy sauces, wheat sauce, simmer about 15 min. Add more water if necessary - you want it to be kinda wet. (It'll probably be wet anyway.)

2. Mix the sauce.

3. Cook noodles, adding bok choy towards the end to cook it too.

4. Each bowl: noodles, sauce, pork topping, bok choy, egg.

Source: Taylor Holliday, The Mala Project, https://blog.themalamarket.com/chengdu-zajiang-noodles-zajiang-mian/

Another Kimchi

1 head (2-2.5lb) Napa or green cabbage, cut into pieces (kinda whatever you want - they recommend 2x1" squares but I like it a little more thinly sliced)

2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp peeled, grated ginger

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chile pepper flakes)

4 green onions, green parts only, in 2 inch pieces

1/4 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced

1. Mix cabbage with salt and let it sit for about an hour. Drain and lightly rinse, let sit another 10-15 minutes.

2. Mix garlic, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, gochugaru. Let sit 15 min.

3. Mix everything. Pack into a glass jar, add a little water to get the last seasoning paste. Let it sit in the covered jar for about 3 days at room temperature. (might bubble over.) Then refrigerate.

Source: "Mother in law's kimchi DIY kit" https://milkimchi.com/