It’s Time for a Cordial!
By J.R. Izzamia

Perhaps now as the holiday season is quickly approaching, it would be a special moment to enjoy an after dinner cordial. Historically, cordials are defined as liquor based drinks obtained by combining or adding distilled spirits with fruits, plants, juices or extracts of same, to produce a drink which enhances

Different methods in which one blends and extracts such flavors will determine the flavor, finish and trademark of a good cordial. Although certain methods seems straight forward, such as Amaretto, which is a well known almond flavored liqueur, made by distilling apricot stones, other methods such as used in the production of Chartreuse, originally developed by the Carthusian monks, contain in excess of one hundred well guarded ingredients and blends of plants and extracts.

Typically, flavors are extracted either by cold extraction, such as a fruit flavored liqueur, or by a hot extraction, the method widely used with flowers, roots and seeds.
The various flavors of the cordial are obtained by soaking or infusing the flavoring agent in water to distill, or in alcohol to soak, bathe and absorb the flavors and extracts. Storage and aging together with sweetening by sugar, syrups, or honey usually completes the process before bottling.

In fact, the addition of such sweetening additives classifies, or what would otherwise be considered, a spirit now to be labeled a cordial or liqueur.
Further classification of cordials is determined by the additive of the particular flavoring ingredients used. Herbs and spices are traditionally added to produce such well known cordials as Chartreuse, Drambuie and Irish Mist. Seeds and plants are used to produce cordials such as Amaretto, Crème de Menthe and Kahlua. Fruits are commonly blended to produce such beloved cordials such as Grand Marnier, Cherry Herring and Schnapps.
Now that you have a basic knowledge of what determines the type of liqueur which can be produced, it’s time for a home made recipe to share with your friends, which will guarantee to spark a fire in your heart, even if you don’t have a fireplace in your living room to sit by.

The following recipe is considered an infusion or soaking with skins, as opposed to distillation, which is still considered illegal in the U.S. without licensing. This recipe should not get you into too much trouble, although refraining from smoking and carrying an open flame during production is an absolute must!

LIMONCELLO
6 lemons, well scrubbed
4 cups (2lbs) sugar
1 quart water
1 quart grain alcohol or 160 proof non-flavored vodka

Step 1
Try to select very fresh, preferably unwaxed lemons, or if they do have wax, use hot water to remove any residue of wax, then pat or wipe the lemons dry. Carefully peel the lemons, removing only the yellow part of the rind, leaving the white inner rind or pith on the fruit. Place the rinds in a large glass jar with the alcohol and allow to sit at room temperature 7-10 days. Every several days, turn the jar upside down so the vodka takes on the flavor and color of the lemon rinds.

Step 2
After the 7-10 day soaking period, boil the water with the sugar for 5 minutes, and then allow the syrup to cool before adding it to the lemon soaked alcohol. Next step is to add the syrup to the jar with the lemon peel infusion. Although you are probably anxiously awaiting to taste it at this point, allow the (now considered Limoncello) mixture to stand for one week, then filter, or strain the liquid disgarding the lemon zest and bottle for storage.

You will especially enjoy your new brewed Limoncello after it’s chilled in the freezer. Historically, authentic Limoncello is derived from the lemons of Sorrento, a town on the Italian Amalfi coast. Many Italian families make their own, even far from Capri. Now you have learned to make your own Limoncello. Enjoy and have a happy holiday!