Home made Kahlua-type cordial, made with ground coffee instead of instant. I am the kind of control freak who needs this!

From The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Book, by Pamella Asquith, Holt Rinehart Winston, 1983.

Makes 1 Quart.

1-3/4 cups [14 ounces] water

1-1/2 cups [12 ounces] sugar

1 vanilla bean

3/4 cup [8 ounces] freshly ground coffee

2 cups [16 ounces] vodka

Bring the water, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the coffee.  When cooled, add the vodka.  Allow the mixture to set, unrefrigerated but covered, for 24 hours.  Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth.  Bottle in sterilized brown glass containers [such as beer or stout bottles] and seal securely.  Age in a cool place away from all light for at least 2 weeks.

Notes:

Do not bother making this with pre-flavored ground coffee. If you want other flavors, add them yourself, to your own preferences. Start with a broken-up stick of cinnamon. Not powder – that won’t be easy to filter out.

Double the vodka and surprise, you have pre-mixed Black Russian cocktail.