Our resident herbalist shares her summer berry cordial recipe which is an excellent way to make use of summer fruit to be enjoyed year-round. It is delicious over ice cream, in lemonade, with sparking water, or alone!
1. Pick ripe summer berries (in this case we used wild californian olallieberries).
2. In a pot heat 1-3 cups of water and 1/2-2 cups of sugar until it melts - the amount of water and sugar depend on how many berries you picked. Basically the water helps the sugar melt and will help the berries release their juice.
3. Add the berries and mash them to release as much juice as possible. Once you add the berries turn the heat on the stove down so that it does not heat above the point of simmering. Continue to squish the juice from the berries.
4. Taste the mixture to make sure it is really sweet - it will be diluted later so it should be nice and sweet.
5. Once it is to your liking turn the heat off the stove and let it cool completely.
6. After it cools add alcohol (either Brandy or Vodka) and stir. You want about the same volume of alcohol as you have of the berry juice.
7. Move this mixture to a large glass jar and let it sit for 2 weeks.
8. Strain the seeds and pulp & your cordial is ready to serve.
