SIROP AUX FRAMBOISES: RASPBERRY "SYRUP" (CORDIAL)

Now that we’ve got crepes and a compatible sauce or two in our gluten free arsenal, why not expand into quaint, homemade libations? Have any mediocre bottles of red wine you might want to transform into something more interesting, with a longer shelf life? If so, read on…

In digging through Marie-Laure’s grandmother’s recipe files, we discovered so many charming, handwriten recipes from her farm. The recipe for “raspberry or strawberry syrup” made us chuckle because the ingredient list was much livelier than expected for a syrup.

The original recipe

I couldn’t wait to try this! The red berry of your choice is macerated for a couple of days in red wine. It then gets cooked to a syrup consistency with sugar, and is finished with a good dose of VODKA?!?!?! The intial result is pretty boozy. Give it a few days and try it again. WOW! It mellows so nicely and is like liquid candy, with the slightest hint of wine to it. It’s REALLY NICE!

This cordial is deceptive in that it packs a punch. It is intended as an aperitif - a small drink to whet the appetite for the meal ahead. That it does!

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups berries (preferably strawberries, raspberries or blackberries) washed and patted dry

• 1.5 cups red wine

• 1.5 cups sugar

• 1 cup vodka

Method:

Combine berries and wine in a jar. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours. After 48 hours, pour entire contents of the jar into a sauce pan and stir in sugar. Turn heat to medium high and bring just to the boiling point, while stirring and crushing fruit, preferably with a wooden spoon. Do not allow to come to a full boil. Remove from heat and strain mixture into a pitcher. Add vodka, stir and pour into bottles to finish cooling. Cover and refrigerate.

This is a fun concotion to make and enjoy over time. I hope you’ll try it out and let me know what you think!