Plum cordial

[dado potato]

Is it recommended to add a bit of sweetener later or along with the initial stuff? What kind of vodka did you use? So you only stored it for 1 week?

I added the sweetener just before serving, because I tasted the liquor, and judged it to be overly tart. My hunch is that if the sweetener were added early, there could be considerable variation in the tartness of the fruit (a function of the ripeness of the individual plums when they are cut open), so the final product might occasionally be cloyingly sweet. "You can't fix cloyingly sweet."

I used a vodka imported from France by Sazerac Company (owned by Bill Goldring), with EPIC(R) on the label. It is labeled as a product of Canada, so I assume it was distilled in France, exported in a bulk container to Canada (up the St Lawrence Seaway... to the port of Brockville maybe?), then bottled and labeled for the US market.


I think it was 9 days before I brought the liquor jar out for the first time.


The linked website is a real-time web cam view of the Brockville ON waterfront. http://brockville.com/brockville-live-cam

[CathyA]

Thanks Dado. Is the vodka you used pretty expensive? I saw the Tito's at Walmart and it was pretty expensive. I'm thinking I should probably start with a less-expensive one, in case the finished product tastes really bad. Would using a cheaper vodka have a pretty negative effect on the cordial?

[KayLR]

I've made cordial several times over the years. Last year someone gave me about 5 lb. of currants on the vine. Made pretty good cordial. That year I made raspberry too, and combined a bit of the berries with the currants.

This year I'm only making blackberry.

[dado potato]

Is the vodka you used pretty expensive?

I paid (on sale) $13 plus sales tax of 5.5% for a total of $13.715 for 1.75L. I consider that expensive, but I don't know how the cost per liter ($7.84) compares to other vodkas.

I would estimate that each serving contained 30ml of vodka, call that 23.5 cents.

For the agave syrup (on sale) I paid $4.49 for 25 oz. I don't believe I paid sales tax, because the product would be classified as food in this state. I would estimate a serving contained 10ml of agave syrup at .006 per ml, call that 6 cents.

With free plums and filtered tap water, I believe each serving would cost less in total than 30 cents.

[Gardnr]

I paid (on sale) $13 plus sales tax of 5.5% for a total of $13.715 for 1.75L. I consider that expensive, but I don't know how the cost per liter ($7.84) compares to other vodkas.

That's cheap Vodka

[KayLR]

Since my DH has privileges at the local PX, we buy cordial vodka down there....really cheap if you can find a vet to get it for you.

[dado potato]

..really cheap if you can find a vet to get it for you.

Footnote. I always have a wee dram to offer to those who served. A vet would not need to buy any of the makings. Slainte.

[KayLR]

Footnote. I always have a wee dram to offer to those who served. A vet would not need to buy any of the makings. Slainte.

[frugal-one]

For a cordial.. use the cheapest vodka. It really does not make a difference.

[CathyA]

Cheap vodka it is then! At least until I get it right. I wonder if they use vodka because it has the least flavor?

P.S.......I can't handle ANY alcohol. I can just see me passed out on the couch during the process.........