Wolf's Den

On the Merry Rose, I'm posting my Cordial Recipes here...

Raspberry Cordial

1 1/2 cups Fresh Raspberries
Fresh Lemon Peel, about 1 lemon worth
3 Cups Vodka, 100 proof, OR 3 Cups Brandy OR 2 Cups Vodka, 100 proof, 1 Cup Brandy or white wine ( I use the 100Proof Vodka, Smirnoff to be exact)
3/4 Cup Sugar Syrup ( I trust most know how to make this)

Lightly crush berries, then place in 1 gallon carboy or glass jar large enough to hold it all. Add lemon peel, then add alcohol.

Steep for 3-4 weeks. Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this), squeezing fruit for all juice.

Replace in glass jar or carboy (after rinsing to remove any leftover fruit pieces), add sugar syrup, let mature for 4-6 weeks.


Blueberry Cordial

4 Cups Fresh Blueberries
2 Cups Vodka, 100 proof
1/2 Cup Water, filtered is best
1Cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon whole Cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole Coriander Seeds

Crush berries and add to 1 gallon carbor or glass jar. Add vodka, water, whole cloves and coriander. Mix well and cover. Let stand 10 days. Color should be dark blue/black.
Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this), squeezing fruit for all juice. Return to jar/carboy, add sugar and shake until all sugar is dissolved.
Wait 24 hours, then strain again through clean cloth (I used unbleached coffee filters again). Let set 3-4 weeks or until perfectly clear.


Blackberry Cordial

This makes ALOT, be forewarned.

16 Cups Fresh Blackberries
6 Cups Sugar
8 Cups Vodka, 100 proof
Water, filtered

Mic berries, sugar and vodka in carboy or glass jar. Add filtered water until covered or filled, which ever comes first, depending on jar/carboy size (I have one of the large carbys, this filled it about halfway). Stir/shake until sugar is dissolved. Cover and let stand in cool, dark place for 6 weeks.

Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this), squeezing fruit for all juice. Bottle as desired, and let stand 3-4 weeks until completely clear.


Tangerine Cordial

(I've not tried this one yet)

4-5 whole tangerines
4 whole cloves PER tangerine
3 Cups Vodka, 100 proof
1 Cup sugar syrup

Pierce Tangerines and insert cloves. Place in glass jar, add vodka and steep 10 days. Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this).
Add sugar surup and mature 4-6 weeks.

Notes- Better if lightly peeled and the white pith is discarded, fruit is jiuced (squeezed) then added with skin to vodka.


Black Currant Cordial

1 1/2 Cup Dried Black Currants (can be difficult to find, might need to try a health food store or the Heritage Farmer's Market in Harrisonburg)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cup Brandy
1 whole Cinnamon Sticks
3 whole Allspice
6 whole Cloves

Combine all but sugar in glass jar/carboy. Stir with wooden spoon. Cover tightly and let age for 2 months.
Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this). Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Age 2 more months, stirring/shaking occassionally. Restran, bottle as desired, seal and age 2-21/2 MORE months. The longer this ages, the smoother it gets.

Almond Cordial

(I have this sitting in a 1 gal. carboy, waiting to be strained. It looks disgusting, personally.}:P)

2 lbs. chopped blanched Almonds
2 Cups Sugar syrup
4 whole Cloves
4 Cups vodka, 100 proof

Mix all ingrediants together in carboy/glass jar. Steep for 6 weeks.
Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this). Add Sugar syrup, rebottle and age until clear.



Banana Cordial
(can be made with peaches as well, instead of bananas, peel and slice the peaches, removing the stone)

2-3 ripe bananas
3 Cups vodka, 100proof
1 Cup sugar syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peel, mash bananas and place in glass jar. Combine vodka, sugar syrup and vanilla, add to bananas. Cover tightly, shaking gently to mix. Let stand in cool, dark place for 1 week.
Strain (I use a gold coffee strainer) and filter (I use unbleached coffee filters for this). Rebottle, and seal. Age until clear, about 3-4 weeks.


Avalon

(This recipe came to me courtesy of a good Friend. The orginal I found too sweet and adapted to my tastes)

2 Red Delicious Apples, cored and halved, BUT NOT PEELED.
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6-8 Whole Cloves
2 Cups sugar (I use 1 Cup )
Vodka, 100 Proof, to cover/fill jar


Place all ingrediants in jar, seal and shake until sugar is dissolved. set in cool, dark place and let age, 4-6 months.
Strain, setting fruit aside, discarding cloves and cinnamon and rebottle as desired. Serve both fruit and liqueor chilled for best taste.

VERY similier to an Apple Pie in taste. You can use brandy instead of vodka, but I've found it doesn't taste near as good.

The mom in law called the other day.

Asking if we had hookups and space for a washer from Grandpop's house. Seems this machine is 25 years old (!!) and still runs great.

Alas we have no place for it. Otherwise, you bet we'd have taken it.

They're bringing down Memom's China Hutch and Grandfather clock. She wasn't sure if we'd want the china Hutch. Apparently it's been in the family since HER grandmother bought it, so heck yeah I want it! That's a family 'heirloom' type piece and should rightfully stay within the family.

So now, when they call to say they're on their way, I get to empty the liqueor cabinant and move it, as that's where the Hutch will go. They're roughly the same size. Just need to get width measurements for the clock, and figure out where to put it. And whether to keep the old liqueor cabinant or not...it'd be good for books.. hmm...

The only things I'm really worried about moving, is the Japanese Tea set from Mark's Grandmom. That set is easily over 60 years old and very fragile. It's in the bottom of the liqueor cabinant. One piece has already started coming apart due to the crazing in the glaze. Hopefully no more will.}:(

I'll have to get photos of it. It's a very nice set.\

I am so procrastinating attempting to write Chapter 2 for The Blackblade Clan, can you tell? I have it STARTED at least.. the first 2 paragraphs anyway. Heh.

Why? Because it should not take me FOUR phonecalls to get my issue resolved and still not have it fixed.

You need to fire everyone in your Cuistomer Service department and hire people who
A- Speak Clearly and understandably.
B- Speak slowly and not at 100mph
C- Listen to what the customer is actually saying.
D- LEARN HOW TO PULL UP A ZUNE ACCOUNT.

I have FIVE transaction numbers from the CC company (in this case, PayPal) who claim that's how many times YOU sent the purchade through. You attempted to buy me off and placate me by giving me points, claiming you can't look up the transactions, that they don't exist, even though I HAVE the damned numbers right here.

I still have no idea how many times you are now going to charge me, because according to PayPal, YOU have to cancel these transactions, and according to YOU, you don't have any record of them and thus can't cancel them.

I have never heard of PayPal 'cycling through' the same transaction multiple times. Especially since it quite obviously went through the first time. And YES I know it did, because I watched it take the damned money. So claiming it was something PayPal does? Is a cop out and bullshit.

Then you backtrack and claim it might be a Zune Marketplace issue? Well, YA THINK??? Especially when I find that others are having the exact same issue in the forums?!

Maybe it's about time you learned what the fuck you were doing. It should not have taken 4 phones calls totaling over 2 hours and STILL not getting my issue resolved. I don't want the points now. And you can be damned sure that if the money shows back up, YOU WON'T BE GETTING IT.

Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New York Police Department said.