Spiced Pear Liqueur - Weekend recipe

My new obsession is alcohol based on herb flavors.  I have been searching around and locating different recipes and trying them out on friends.  I have had no complaints yet!

I shared one of these, my apple cocktail, last year.  Now I am going to so something with pears.

Spiced Pear Liqueur

8 ripe Pears (about 4 cups juice)

2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced

1 whole nutmeg

1 cinnamon stick, about 3 – 4 inches

4 cups vodka

½ cup white wine

Syrup

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

Combine the pear juice, ginger root, spices, vodka and wine in a wide mouth mason jar with a tight fitting lid.  Steep for 5 weeks.  Strain out the lumps, then filter through a coffee filter or cheesecloth.  Make the syrup by bringing water to a boil in a small saucepan, add sugar and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved.  Cool.  Add half the syrup to the liqueur and taste, then continue to add and taste until it is as sweet as you like.  Pour into a bottle, cap and age for about 4 weeks.

You can drink this as an aperitif (it should be ready just in time for summer outings) or serve it over ice cream, mix with seltzer or club soda over ice for a sweet cool drink or even add a Tablespoon to your tea or coffee for some added flare.