WHAT IS CURAÇAO LIQUEUR?
Curaçao liqueur is made from the dried peel of the laraha citrus fruit grown in Curaçao. A non-native plant, the laraha developed from the sweet Valencia orange transplanted by Spanish explorers.
HOW IS CURAÇAO LIQUEUR MADE?
The liqueur the laraha peel is dried and after soaking in a still with alcohol and water for approximately 4 days. The peel is removed and other spices are added, giving it an orange-like flavor.
TYPES OF CURAÇAO LIQUEUR
The liqueur is produced in 5 different colors: the original clear liqueur, Blue and Green (the two most well-known varieties), and Red and Orange. There are also the special tastes: Coffee, Chocolate and Rum Raisin.
When I visited the Chobolobo Liqueur Factory during my visit to Curaçao, I tasted each flavor…all were delicious. But my favorite combination was mixing the Coffee and Chocolate flavors. It would be the perfect drink on the rocks while basking in the Curaçao sun.
HOW TO DRINK CURAÇAO LIQUEUR
One of my favorite drinks of all time is a Kamikaze. It was one of the first drinks I learned to order when I started drinking (at the age of 21, of course).
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 oz Curaçao liqueur
- .5 oz lime juice
DIRECTIONS:
Shake all ingredients together in a mixer with ice. Strain into glass and serve.
You’ll love it. Trust me!
Interesting things to note about the liqueur:
1) It’s 100% kosher.
2) The official Curaçao liqueur has to say “The Genuine” on the bottle. All others are imitations.
Cheers!
Ashlee
Photo Credit: Ashlee Tuck