Raspberry Ratafia

Cassis

 

Sparkling Elderflower

From ‘A Year in a Bottle’ by Sally Wise.

The beautiful elderflower heads make a deliciously flavoured non-alcoholic drink, ideal to serve on its own or as part of a mocktail or a cocktail.

3 cups of sugar

4 cups of boiling water

14 cups of cold water

6 elderflower heads…I add at least 10. Most individual flowers on flower head, need to have opened but it is good to have a few on the head that are unopened.

2 lemons chopped roughly

2 tablespoons of white vinegar or cider vinegar ( I use apple cider vinegar)

Dissolve the sugar in the boiling water in a food-safe bucket or ceramic container.

Add cold water and then the elderflower heads, lemons and vinegar.

Stir well to mix.

Cover and allow to stand for 48 hours.

Strain and pour into clean bottles ( PET bottles are best as they allow for a degree of expansion without exploding. If using glass bottles leave about 1/3 of bottle unfilled.)

The Sparkling Elderflower will be ready in 1 to 2 weeks.

Chill before CAREFULLY opening and preferably outside.

Makes approximately 4.5 liters.

Sparkling Cordial can also be made using raspberries or rhubarb.

Marinated Fruit-in-alcohol Drinks

Cassis

5oog black currants

500g sugar

10 fresh black currant leaves

750ml bottle brandy

Crush currants and leaves.

Add sugar and brandy.

Pour into wide mouthed jar and shake to dissolve sugar.

Shake now and then for a month or more.

Strain and bottle.

I sip it neat, in  a shot glass but its easy to drink more!

(From my elderly neighbour, Janny)

Raspberry Ratafia

3 cups raspberries

1/3 cup sugar

750ml vodka

6 lemon verbena leaves, crushed

Into a large, wide-mouthed jar put the raspberries and sugar and stir gently to crush a little.

Add the verbena leaves and the vodka.

Leave in a warm room for 4 weeks or more, shaking now and then

Strain and bottle.

I sip it neat in a shot glass.

(from a beautiful book called Plum Gorgeous)

Limoncello

1 litre vodka

peel of 12 large lemons

equal parts sugar and water

Into a large wide-mouthed jar put the peels and pour over the vodka.

Shake now and then for 3 months.

Strain.

In a pan, heat a cup of water and stir in the sugar to dissolve. Let cool completely.

Add the syrup gradually to the limoncello, tasting as you go, just until its how you think it should be!

Leave again for a week or more. May need straining again.

Most recipes have much more volume of syrup but I prefer it like this.

(From my friend Deb at Nirvana Farm)

DEB'S LIMONCELLO

This is best served cold from the freezer, neat or over ice.
Method:
1500ml alcohol (strongest you can get) I used vodka, Deb said Grappa is good too
15 large, thick-skinned lemons
750ml rain water
3/4 - 1 kg sugar

1. Put alcohol into a large jar
2. Clean lemons, dry and then, using a lemon peeler, peel the lemons - making sure you don't get any pith. Make the pieces as large as possible
3. Put the peels into the jar with the alcohol and stir gently. Make sure lemon is covered.
   
4. Cover tightly and put into a cool, dark place to infuse
5. On days 8, 22 and 36 gently shake or stir and return to cool, dark place
6. On day 45 dissolve sugar in water and boil 5 mins. Cool as it needs to be cold to add to lemons
7. Gently scoop out the peels with a slotted spoon
8. Filter liquid thru' a coffee filter. Repeat if not clear
9. Into a clean jar place the filtered alcohol and the sugar syrup to taste (don't taste too much!) and leave for 40 days.
10. Filter again thru' coffee filter
11. Bottle and seal well. Enjoy.
    

ELDERFLOWER CHAMPAGNE

no added yeast, non-alcoholic version
20 elderflower heads
5 lemons
150ml vinegar
1.5kg sugar
20 litres water

Cut most of the stems from the flowers. Shake any bugs, dirt etc.
Squeeze lemons and cut rind into strips.
Add all ingredients to a large container, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Steep for 24hrs, then strain, bottle and seal. Store in a cool place. Keep at least 3 weeks before drinking.

Make it now and it will be ready for the christmas celebrations.

APPLE AND JAGGERY TEA

10 - 12 apple cores, with seeds
8 - 10 black peppercorn
2 inch long of cinnamon stick
8 - 10 cloves
1 - 2 inch fresh ginger
3 - 5 cardamoms
750 ml water
1 piece of jaggery (Indian sugar) or a teaspoon of honey
Bruise the peppercorn, cloves and cardamoms using mortar and pestle. Add to the rest of the ingredients. Add the jaggery if using, keep the other sweeteners off the mix for now, and add when serving. Boil on a very low heat about 30 minutes. Strain from a very fine cloth, add sweeteners if not already, and serve hot. I found I didn't need any sweetener.
Kate