cordials-msg

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cordials-msg – 2/26/06

Period cordials and liqueurs. SCA creations.

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Subj: Recipes for brews..._

Date: 18 Feb 92

From: paste at maple.circa.ufl.edu

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Fred.Yoder at f943.n102.zl.fidonet.org writes...

>Come on, I need recipes for SCA-Brews!

Well, good gentle, a recipe for a Trimarian favorite follows.

MAGE'S FIRE

~~~~~~~~~~~

1 bottle of vodka (any grade is ok)

2 bottles of cinnamon schnapps (the _Red Hot_ brand prefered)

1 bottle of blue curacco (sp?)

Mix well, put in small clear glass bottles, and drink out

of a clear or silver goblet.

It's very strong and is better sipped than slammed. It can be made

in smaller quantities, of course, but the little bottles (which can

be found at any vinter's shop [p.s. get screw-tops, corks don't do

well with this] ) make excellent gifts and are much easier to

transport.

Also, we have many good brewers here in this Barony and I can get the

recipes for Trimarian fire-water, Wink-wink Nudge-nudge, various meads

and liquors for those who wish it. Send e-mail All the messages will get to me and I will return the recipes to you with haste.

Slaine ni Blaidd

Clan Claidgh Dhu

Barony of An Crosaire

Kingdom of Trimaris

Teri Dewitt

Gainesville, Fl USA

paste%maple.decnet at pine.circa.ufl.edu

Date: 21 Feb 92

From: null0trooper at maple.circa.ufl.edu

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Organization: The CIRCA Underground

Greetings again from Brion Gennadyevich!

First, if one is not interested in the suddenly infamous Cossack Cough Syrup,

now may be a good time to hit 'n' :). For honesty's sake, I must point out

that this recipe was created for the (then) prospective taste and color.

MATERIALS:

Into a ceramic crock place:

1/2 lb dried apricots

1/2 lb dried black currants

a double handful of dried hibiscus flowers

a handful of hyssop

2 thinly-sliced limes

1 thinly-sliced lemon

1/4 cup star anise

1 tbspn fennel seed

2 cups sugar

lemon balm

juniper berries

METHOD:

Soak this for 7 days in enough vodka to cover the ingredients.

----- time passes -----

Strain the raw liquor from the ingredients and set aside. Place the

remainder into an enameled pan and add a pint of water, a handful of juniper

berries, and another handful of lemon balm. Simmer this until you can smell

the anise and juniper. Strain the liquid into a large bowl (NOT metal) and

stir in sugar until no more dissolves into the liquid.

Once the syrup has cooled, mix in with the raw liquor. At this point you

may be able to dissolve more sugar into the mixture. Add the remainder of

vodka you have on hand - at least 1 liter's worth. At this point, add water

until the alcohol no longer fully overrides the flavor - both should still be

a bit strong. Bottle and age. Distinct clouds should form in the liquor

within a day or so. This is necessary to the clarification of the liquor.

After sufficient aging, strain the liquor through cheesecloth and re-bottle.

OVERALL EFFECT:

Ruby-red liqueur with a full-bodied fruit base. Anise-scented with a gin

finish. Suitable for tonic or aperitif.

AUTHENTICITY (Excuse ;):

Listed in the _Tacuinum_Sanitatis_:

fennel, sugar - 13th c. version

sugar, apricots, fennel - Tacuinum of Liege, 1380

L.C. Arano, 1976. The Midieval Health Handbook - Tacuinum Sanitatis.

ISBN: 0-8076-0808-4, ND3399.I15 A5513

black currants - common to the European continent

Lemon, lime - Middle Eastern fruits introduced to the Mediterranean littoral

star anise - a spice imported originally from the Indies

lemon balm - traditional English and European herb

hyssop - Hyssopus officinalis L. is a member of the family Labiatae, along

with sage, savory, and thyme. Cultivated from ancient times (Rehder)

Rehder, A. 1927. Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs: Hardy in North

America, Exclusive of the Subtropical and Warmer Temperate Regions. The

MacMillan Company, New York.

hibiscus -

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (China Rose) possible source of hibiscus flowers.

Hibiscus sp. refered to in Mexico, 1577 as a medicinal. Hibiscus r-s

appears to be used traditionally in SE Asia. Cited after Rumphius as

used in Indonesia (Rumphius, G.E.: b.1627, d.1702)

Althea rosea (L.) Cav. (Hollyhock) believed to originate in China, refered

to by Petrus Hispanus, 1535 _The treasuri of helth ... of Petrus

Hispanus. OED identifies citations of Althea sp. hollyhock from 1265

forwards; hollyhock as Althea r. from 1551, distinguishable from

Althea officinalis or marsh mallow.

family Malvaceae includes the sub-family Hibisceae. Hibiscus, hollyhock

(also known as Rose Mallow - OED), althea, marsh mallow, mallow,

ebiscum root, ebiskos, ebiscus, iviscus, malva, et al. are all

members of this botanical family. A. oficinalis cited by PLiny the

Elder and Galen, as well as Rufinus.

Medical effects for this family of herbs and flowers: flowers are used

for emollient, demulcent, and diuretic properties. And making

marshmallows! It is my contention that if the commercially-available

hibiscus flowers are indeed H. rosa-sinensis, there is sufficient

similarity to A. rosea and A. officinalis to use this species in the place

of these more traditional herb species.

M. Grieve, 1931. A Modern Herbal. Dover Publ. ISBN 0-486-22798-7.

Clapham, Tutin, and Moore, 1987. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge Univ.

Press. Cambridge, U.K., ISBN: 0-521-30985-9.

Hartwell, J.A., 1982. Plants Used Against Cancer - A Survey. Quarterman

Publ., Inc. Lawrence, Mass. ISBN: 0-88000-130-5

vodka, 1 qt. - substitute for the ubiquitous "aqua vitae" and distilling

methods due to health considerations. Also, because use of commercial

distilled products is called for in this category - see May, XXVI

"Talewinds", p.20.

"The Queen's Closet Opened: being incomparable secrets in physick, chyrurgery,

preserving, candying, and cookery, &c. which were presented to the Queen by

the most experienc'd persons of the times, many whereof were had in esteem

when she pleased to descend to private recreations." (which is on microfilm

at UF) covers a number of restorative cordials and aquae. The tract itself

was in its tenth edition in 1698, fifth edition dated in the 1650s. The

"Queen" referred to is Elizabeth Regina herself, though the first edition

surely postdates her reign.

The number of recipes given, many of which call for distillation of the

elixir, indicates to me that the chief concerns were: what's available, and

what suits the makers tastes, as much as what powers are attributed to the

herbs.

In service and pillage,

Brion Gennadyevich Gorodin

From: st1xe at jane.uh.edu (Brown, Derek S)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Coridals and Liquors: Recipe

Date: 23 Jun 1993 13:13 CDT

Organization: University of Houston

Since I've seen a few posts here asking for recipes, I decided to post two

here and make a few other recommendations. If anyone is looking for a

specific recipe, mail to me and I'll mail it back.

First, the part that makes cordials sweet is sugar syrup. It is 1 cup of

sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water. This makes about 2/3 cup sugar

syrup and for those of you who have made candy, this is very similar to

a recipe for rock candy. If any coridal is not sweet enough, just add a

little more sugar or sugar syrup, depending upon what you want to do with

it.

Second, the alcohol. Vodka is as pure an alcohol as most of us can get, and

since it will be flavored, don't worry about a high quality (or even a

medium) vodka. Just get the cheapest stuff you can get. It will serve

quite nicely. Brandy and white wine are different. Get what you can afford.

A good brandy helps a liquor always.

Since a lot of berries are in season, here is a raspberry recipe.

1.5 cups ripe raspberries

sliced and scraped peel of 1/2 lemon

3 cups vodka or 3 cups brandy or 2 parts vodka and 1 part brandy,

or substitute white wine for brandy

3/4 cup sugar syrup

Lightly crush the berries, add the lemon peel and berries to the

alcohol. Steep for 2-4 weeks. Strain and filter, squeezing all

the berries for the juice. Add the sugar syrup and let it

mature for 4-6 weeks.

For Creme de Framboise, use all brandy and add 2 cups of

sugar syrup.

Another good recipe is the tangerines' one.

4-5 whole tangerines

4 whole cloves

3 cups vodka

1 cup sugar syrup

Pierce the tangerine peeling swith a fork and insert the cloves into

the indentions. Steep in vodka for 10 days using enough vodka to

cover the fruit. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup and mature

I disagree with this recipe since it calls for the whole tangerine.

The with pith (the white part between the skin and fruit) will

give anyone wine or liquor and bad taste (this is according to

all my taste testers who for once did not finish a sample bottle

like they usually do). Try this recipe by peeling the skin

very lightly so as not avoid the pith and juice the fruit in a

juicer or some other way. Throw the juice and skin in together

with the alcohol and let it sit for 3 weeks before adding the sugar

syrup. Then strain, filter, and mature,

3 cups brandy can be used for this recipe with a little more

sugar syrup also. Tastes different and maybe better.

If anyone wants any specific recipes, I have recipies for almost all fruits,

spices, and even some odd ones (like egg liquor). E-mail me for specific

and I'll post them.

William Silke, Ansteorra

From: lsteele at mtholyoke.edu (Lisa Steele)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Recipe for Cordials?

Date: 10 Nov 1996 15:51:19 GMT

Organization: Mount Holyoke College

shire2308 at aol.com wrote:

> My Lady and I wanted to make small cordials to place on all the tables at

> our upcoming wedding.

> Does anyone have a (relatively) precise recipe? I've tried this excellent

> Peach one at Crown this year that almost knocked my socks off.

> Also, how early are "cordials"?

My usual brew takes a good 12 - 16 weeks to prepare, so start early.

You will need 2 large widemouth jars (I use spagetti sauce ones), a

clear alcohol of decent but not extravagant stock (I use Bicardi's or

Smirnhoff's), sugar, some filters, and whatever flavoring you like (I use

extracts and dried fruit).

For my peach -- take 1 bag dried peaches, cut into small bits. Add 1

cup sugar. Add a teaspoon vanilla extract. Put in sauce jar and fill with

Bicardi's to rim. Put on shelf and shake vigorously 1x week for 6-8 weeks.

Now, strain the batch into another clean jar until clear. (The fruit

makes good ice cream topping) Heat 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water on stove

until clear. Add to jar until full to rim. Put back on shelf and shake 1x

week for another 6-8 weeks. Cordial is then done.

I find it takes a good 6 months before it is a smooth as I like.

--Esclarmonde

From: mjc at telerama.lm.com (Monica Cellio)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Recipe for Cordials?

Date: 10 Nov 1996 21:55:47 -0500

Organization: Telerama Public Access Internet, Pittsburgh, PA USA

If you're looking for period recipes, good luck; most of the ones I've

seen are of the form "take wine, do [something] to it, and distill".

Don't try this in the US.

Last summer I made a very tasty apricot cordial that was very simple:

take apricots, blanch them, put in jars (pack loosely to top), fill jars

with vodka, wait two months, remove fruit. Note: this recipe didn't even

call for sugar. I was sure it would be way too bitter, but I was wrong.

It's quite tasty, especially after a year.

A favorite of mine, which I learned from Thora Sharptooth, is horilka.

For a 2-gallon batch: take 1200ml of water, add spices, and boil; then

simmer 15-20 minutes. (Good spices include cinnamon (6-8 sticks), cloves,

a couple nutmegs, fennel, cardemon, allspice, mint... play with it).

Strain and mix with 1.5L honey, 2L apple juice or cider (no preservatives!),

juice of one lemon, some lemon peel (no zest), and -- only at the end --

3 liters vodka or brandy. (I prefer brandy.) Pour into jars and let

sit 6-8 weeks, then siphon the liquid off the dregs. You *can* drink

it right away if you really want to, but if you bottle it and let it sit

for 6-8 months it'll be a lot better.

Ellisif

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjc/ellisif.html

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: lindahl at deshaw.com (Greg Lindahl)

Subject: Re: Recipe for Cordials?

Organization: D. E. Shaw & Co.

Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 05:14:17 GMT

<shire2308 at aol.com> wrote:

>My Lady and I wanted to make small cordials to place on all the tables at

>our upcoming wedding.

You may find the Medieval/Renaissance Brewing homepage to be a useful

source of information:

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/brewing.html

Among other things it has a couple of cordial recipes, and the "Class

Notes: Basic Brewing" article by Tadhg macAedian uiChonchobhair

discusses cordials, among other items.

As always, if anyone knows of any useful additions to this page, I

would appreciate hearing about it.

From: Galen & Raven <galen at pa.net>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Recipe for Cordials?

Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 09:37:31 -0500

Organization: pa dot net(tm), A service of Cumberland Technologies Int'l

Dean Brocious wrote:

> Believe it or not there are some very simple and QUICK cordial recipes

> in most microwave cookbooks. It is a place for you to start. After you

> understand the process you will be amazed at the results. A rule of

> thumb is: 1 cup sugar

> 750ml Vodka, Lt, Rum., or Grain Alcohol

> 1-2 cups fruit

> Place into large canning jar and put in a dark, cool place for 4 weeks.

> Shake every other day. At the end of the