In the Anne of Green Gable stories of Prince Edward Island, there is a reference to raspberry cordial. A non alcoholic version gets mixed up with a currant wine, with consequences. This is the “vodka added” version, definitely not for little girls. It is a sweet, brightly flavoured liqueur for after dinner sipping and other adventures.
There are many Gods and Goddesses associated with alcohol. Most are either connected to beer or wine making or excessiveness. Radegast is a member of the Slavic pantheon and he is connected to alcohol, hospitality, fire, war and the evening sky. (Interesting bedfellows, war and hospitality.) Tales associated with Radegast suggest he is a little centered on self, not an unusual trait for a god and has a fondness for being invited to celebratory feasts, my intended use of this raspbery cordial.
Made with berries, sugar and vodka. It is just a matter of shaking and patience and shaking and patience and possibly a little influence from Radegast?
You will need:
Sugar
Berries
Vodka
Ensure all the containers being used have had a trip through the dishwasher or are well washed with hot soapy water. Having your hands in all that warmth is a good way to begin a centering and releasing time, letting any distractions fall away through your fingertips, into healing water. Paying attention to deep breaths and out will bring your focus into the present moment and aid in clarifying your intentions before beginning. Welcome the compassionate spirits and begin.
Your choice of fresh ripe berries.
Cascades (shown here) are a hybrid of raspberries and blackberries.
Raspberries, boysenberries, mulberries, chokes, elderberry, currants, tayberries and thimbleberries are all options.
Trying a mixture, balancing sweet and tart characteristics is also fun. Much will depend on what is accessible where you live or forage but it is very nice to be able to offer a flavour/combination that is not commonly available.
Ripe blackberries also make a good choice.
Sort through the fruit, picking out overripe and blemished pieces.
Place in a colander, gently wash and allow to dry.
The amount of sugar needed will depend on the amount of fruit and its sweetness.
For the batch I am working on now I started with a cup of sugar, filled a 1 quart bottle with raspberries and topped it with vodka.
It took 3/4’s of the bottle of vodka to come to the top of the raspberries.
That said when I made the cascade berries there were far fewer berries, so I started with 1/4 sugar.
I chose vodka because my intention was to feature the taste of the berries. In Germany, there is a a tradition of making Rumtopf (Rum pot), layers of the fresh fruit in a ceramic jar, topped with rum. As each different berry and fruit is added through the season, more rum and sugar goes in until the new fruit is covered. The entire mixture is left to sit until several months after the end of the fruit season ( or after the Rumtopf is full ) before serving. I mention this because, using a different alcohol is always and option. It all depends on what you would prefer the finished product to taste like.
Store in a cool, dark location and shake once a week before returning to its place on the shelf. Repeat for a minimum of two months. This is where the patience part comes in.
As the mixture matures, dip a clean spoon in and taste the progress. Add more sugar if needed.
The sugar will dissolve and the vodka will take on the colour and flavour of the berries.
When ready the mixture can be filtered through a coffee filter lined sieve to separate out the berries and any small bits not wanted in the finished cordial.
I keep the berries and use them in chocolate truffles, ice cream and cheesecakes sauces and other delectables.
Store your finished cordial in a pretty container and enjoy as long as possible.
How long this lasts depends on how many times you share a glass with friends.
Boasting leads to proving which leads to less for you!
I don’t do this often but I will admit I am looking forward to seeing the beautiful colour of this raspberry batch in a decanter, in the months to come.
The picture below is from the cascade berry version made several years ago and now finished, lovingly hoarded as I knew it would be the last time I would have easy access to cascades for many years to come.
Update: September 14, 2017
Over the last three weeks the colour of the cordial has changed from the bright red tones of ripe raspberries to a fuller richer shade of rubies.
Although the suggested infusing time is two months, you may choose to filter a little earlier if your preference is the brighter colour. Taste along the way, while the bottle is turned and experience the mellowing of the final product. It will help you decide when to filter.
I placed a coffee filter into a colander and poured the mixture through. Placing a covering of plastic on top will defend against any visitors. Let sit for several hours to get as much of the cordial and fruit juice out of the berries as possible. I will admit that I decanted the cordial and then pressed out the last cloudier bits to enjoy myself before composting the berries. I did think about pressing the berries through a sieve for a batch of truffles but most of what was left was fiber and seeds from the berries, not a lot of useful material.
So there you have it. Simple, tasty and something to remember summer by when the cold winds of January are blowing.
Update: August 2019 – Spiced Cherry Cordial
I put together another batch using cherries last year and one year in it is deliciously smooth
and tasty. (It was necessary to test it last night. For research purposes of course.)
I made a couple of alternations to the recipe above, firstly the choice of fruit, secondly the added spices; 2 cloves, a 2 inch cinnamon stick and about an inch of ginger quartered per glass jar.
The third change was to try a different method which suggested just leaving the sugar at the bottom and letting it dissolve over time. In the end I did not notice any difference in the final product.
Difference number four was that there was not enough vodka to nicely cover the final bottle of cherries so I topped it up with the last of some brandy and then let everything sit in a dark cool place.
This time I did save the cherries for a truffle recipe.
Remember to label the bottles with date started and any alterations so the recipe can be repeated if you like the outcome.
UPDATE: July 2023 – Spiced Black Currant with Honey Cardamon & Star Anise
I started a fresh batch of cordial with some of the fresh black currants picked up last week and am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
This batch consisted of 2 cups of black currants mixed with 1 cup of honey, 6 smashed cardamon pods and enough broken star anise bits to be equal to about one unbroken star.
Combine all the ingredients together and transfer to a sterilized jar big enough to hold the ingredients and at least 3/4 quarters of a bottle of vodka. If the entire bottle will not fit in, just set it aside and add once the additional ingredients have been filtered out in several months.
Date and label the bottle and let sit in a dry, dark, cool location that is easy to access. Shake the jar every other day for about two weeks and then let the mixture sit, giving it a shake as you think of it. ( Make sure the lid is firmly in place.) The mixture needs time to smooth out, so let the cordial sit for at least two months before having a nip.
Add more honey and spices if preferred and let sit for several weeks more before sipping again. When you have a flavour you like, filter out the berries and spices and add the last of the vodka from the original bottle. Keep the berries and freeze them until a good time to make a batch of jam or truffles.
Find a pretty decanter to store the cordial in and allow it to continue aging until it is time to share and enjoy.
Picture of the new finished batch should be coming some time in September.
Fresh Berry Cordial from My Kitchen Wand
