How you gonna spend the weekend? The calendar says that winter is almost gone. Here in the Catskill Mountains, winter really never came. Our driveway was plowed once. We never had enough snow to use our snowshoes.
Suzen is smiling. Not a winter girl much anymore. More of a tropical girl each year. From the wonderful Artisan Drinks by Lindy Wildsmith, here is a tropical beverage that is desirable year round. It’s a mixture of grapefruit and orange zest, grapefruit and orange juice, some water and just a pound plus of sugar. You can drink this straight, or dilute with water or sparkling water. You can top it off with sparkling wine, or use it as the base for a rum or whiskey cocktail. You can do many things and you will enjoy them all.
This lasts in your refrigerator for up to a month, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy at its freshest.
Florida Cocktail Cordial
Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients:
- Thinly pared zest of 1 grapefruit (pink or regular) and 1 orange (blush or regular)
- Juice of 2 or 3 grapefruit and 2 or 3 oranges
- About 2 cups water
- 18 ounces superfine sugar
- Sterile bottles for storage
Preparation:
Put the orange and grapefruit zest in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the water and sugar, place over low heat, and bring slowly to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Juice 2 oranges and 2 grapefruit into a measuring jug. You should have around 2 cups of juice. Juice more fruit if necessary. Add this to the pan. Bring back to simmering point and simmer for 10 minutes.
Using a fine strainer, strain the liquid into a measuring jug and leave to cool. Rinse out the sterile bottles and funnel with warm water and fill the bottles with the cordial, leaving a small gap of ¾ inch between the top of the liquid and the top of the bottle. Seal.
Making & keeping: Make all year, whenever citrus fruits are at their best. Keep in the refrigerator for a month or so or pasteurize.
Source: Artisan Drinks: Delicious Alcoholic and Soft Drinks to Make at Home by Lindy Wildsmith [Quarry Books, 2014]