Had the opportunity to revisit with Donny and Nancy Pesce again last week, and as a token of my appreciation for their help I cooked up a batch of Kickapoo Joy Juice. For those of you old enough to remember Lil' Abner in the comic strips, Kickapoo Joy Juice was moonshine whiskey that was frequently cooked by a character known as "Hairless Joe," a beer-bellied old guy with long red hair and a matching full beard. My version of this wonderful concoction is a bit different. Though I would like to send everyone on the forum a bottle, it's just not possible. Therefore, I thought I would post the recipe.

GARY'S KICKAPOO JOY JUICE
(STOVETOP KAHLUA)

This is a page from the book of Lil' Abner, the comic strip that those of us who are over age 60 loved for many years. If you'll recall, the concoction that was being brewed by one of the characters in a backwoods still was called "Kickapoo Joy Juice," after which this particular recipe was named.

4 cups water
5 cups granulated sugar
4 cups vodka
½-cup instant coffee (dry measure)
1 Tsp. vanilla extract

Using a large saucepan, bring water to a boil, add one cup of sugar, dissolve, then stir in instant coffee until it is completely dissolved. Add the remaining sugar and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, add the vanilla and vodka, stir and you've just created the best tasting kahlua ever. It tastes great on the rocks or when used to make a white Russian. Enjoy!