Cordials

We were making smoothies with berries from our cordials so I figured I'd write something on making cordials.  It's a very easy process.  There are a lot of recipes that call for odd additives, but only three ingredients are needed: fruit, sugar and liquor.

We generally use an 80 oz jar.  Put in one pint of your choice of fruit (berries, peaches, even rhubarb), add one cup of sugar, and then fill it up to the top with either vodka or brandy.  We tried rum once, but it turned out a weird almost greasy taste, so we'll be sticking with vodka.  Don't bother with the flavored stuff, because you're flavoring it yourself.

For about a month, stir it daily.  After that month, you can either leave in the fruit to take it out as you want to use it, or strain it out through a cheese cloth.  The fruit will be soaked with alcohol.  You can use it in smoothies, in ice cream, or even in pie (my mom tried this and said that it doesn't all burn off when baking, so beware).