Ripening like jewels in the garden, berries bring an abundance of local fruit that must be eaten or preserved within the space of a few weeks each summer.
Which berries grow where you live? We have blackberries, oh how I love blackberry season! Blackberry pies, cobbler, pancakes, smoothies and cordials!
We have lots of family berry picking time, I love this annual ritual. Such a wonderful time for everyone to get together and make the most delicious desserts!
My son and cousins with their blackberry harvest!
Whether you pick your own or buy them from a local farmer, this Summer Berry Cordial Recipe is one of the simplest ways I know to bottle the goodness of berries, so you can enjoy the fruity flavor for months to come.
What’s a Cordial?
Cordials are distilled spirits that have been infused with herbs, fruit, or both. Depending on the recipe, cordials can be sipped as digestive tonics, used to invite sleep, or to toast a special occasion.
What Makes Cordials Beneficial?
In moderation, cordials can foster relaxation and connection while introducing beneficial herbs into the body.
Because cordials contain alcohol, they are meant to be savored in small quantities. In large amounts, of course, the liver cannot process the alcohol quickly enough, and a cordial would eventually become toxic. Alcohol is one of the oldest forms of folk medicine and, like fire or a rushing river, we are wise to approach it with reverence and some caution.
A DIY Alternative to Hard Seltzer
One of my favorite ways to drink this cordial is by adding a half ounce or so to a glass of sparkling water and finishing it off with a few drops of lime. This makes for a quick, low-alcohol summer cocktail that’s a great alternative to the hard seltzers and sparkling cocktails I see popping up everywhere.
Although many hard seltzers claim to be made with natural ingredients, alcohol labels aren’t as detailed as food labels, so you just don’t know what’s in it unless you make your own. Plus, once this cordial is made, it takes mere seconds to add a splash to sparkling water – not much longer than popping a tab.
Avoiding Alcohol?
If you’d rather avoid alcohol altogether, you can make this cordial recipe with vinegar instead. The recipe is exactly the same, just use vinegar in place of alcohol and be sure to use a cork or plastic lid, because vinegar corrodes metal.
The Benefits of Berries
This cordial recipe is very flexible, and I encourage you to use any kind of berries that grow in abundance where you live!
All berries contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and an array of phytochemicals that give them distinct colors and flavors. In vitro studies have suggested that berries’ anthocyanins (blue, red, or purple pigments) and polyphenols (which give scent and flavor) benefit overall health through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell regulatory effects.
Blackberries (Rubus spp.) are rich in vitamins including C and K, and minerals including manganese and copper. Studies have also shown that the compounds in blackberries’ pigment help protect against age-related neurodegenerative diseases and bone loss. (If you’re wondering what the difference is between raspberries and blackberries, you can tell by picking a ripe berry. Raspberries have a hollow core, like a fairy cup. With blackberries, the soft core stays inside the fruit, even when ripe.)
Raspberries (Rubus spp.) are closely related to blackberries, and share many benefits including their nutritional profile. Thus, like blackberries, red raspberries are high in vitamins C and K, and contain minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Rose Hips (Rosa spp.), while not technically a berry, are a wonderful addition to this cordial recipe. Rose hips are one of the highest natural sources of vitamin C, which is essential for healthy skin, blood vessels, and bones. As an antioxidant, vitamin C also helps protect against free radical damage that contributes to conditions including cancer and arthritis.
Summer Berry Cordial Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole fresh blackberries
- 1 cup whole fresh raspberries
- 2 tbsp finely chopped, fresh rose hips (1 tablespoon dried)
- 3 cups brandy or to cover by 2 inches
- 1 1/2 cups honey to sweeten
Instructions
- Fill a clean mason jar with the fruit.
- Mash the fruit with a wooden pestle or spoon.
- Pour brandy over the herbs, filling the jar to the top.
- Put a lid on the jar and label it with the date and contents.
- Store in a dark place for 1 month. Make sure your herbs stay covered with brandy by about 2 inches. Occasionally check to see if you need to add more brandy, as some of it may have been soaked up by the fruit.
- To strain: Place a funnel into the mouth of a clean, sterilized jar and lay finely woven, cotton muslin on top of the funnel.
- Carefully pour the infused brandy through the muslin and funnel. Allow all the liquid to strain through the cloth into the jar.
- Discard the herbs. Add it to your compost or just put it on the dirt in your garden.
- Sweeten the liquid to taste with honey. Traditionally, a ½ part sweetener is added. Pour the liquid into a measuring cup to see how much you have. Divide that number in half, and that is the measurement for your sweetener. However, this is just a suggestion; adjust things to your taste.
- To serve: Add carbonated water and fresh lime juice to an ounce cordial for a summer berry spritzer.
Notes
- Shelf life: 1 year.
I’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this Summer Berry Cordial Recipe? What berries did you use and how did it turn out? What are your favorite ways to serve it? Share in the comments below, I would love to hear!
Join me in the kitchen! If you’d like to unlock the healing potential of food using tried-and-true recipes even picky eaters will enjoy, check out my course, My Herbal Kitchen. It’s packed with video demonstrations so it’s like you’re by my side, learning in the kitchen.
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