Berried treasure
Summer has come so late this year that I haven’t had enough raspberries to make jam yet, but here are my two favourite raspberry recipes, which I love not because they taste good (although they do!) but because if things are hectic, you just need to take the first step now (which is dumping the berries in the drink) and you can leave the next steps until the new year. (You can even wait till after Australia Day if you like.)
Here is my recipe for raspberry vinegar, which, although it sounds like a condiment, is actually a cordial. So dilute it with water and serve it cold.[1]
Raspberry Vinegar
Makes 1 litre
Preparation time 10 minutes
Start 1 day ahead
500g raspberries
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups caster sugar
Put the raspberries in a glass or china bowl and add vinegar. Cover the bowl and let stand overnight.
Strain out the berries and put the liquid in a saucepan. Add the sugar and stir over low heat until it is dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.
Pour into sterilised bottles, seal and keep in a cool, dark place.
Raspberry Vodka
A by-product of raspberry vodka is vodka raspberries, which are good with ice cream, in fruit salad and added to fruity cocktails.
Makes 750ml
Preparation time 10 minutes
Start 3 days ahead
750ml vodka
1 punnet raspberries
water
Garnish: a long string of fake pearls
Place berries and vodka in a large glass or china bowl. (Keep the bottle.) Cover the bowl tightly and leave for 3 days.
Strain the berries from the vodka and pour the vodka back into the bottle. Cap it tightly and place it in a clean milk carton. Fill the carton with water and drape a few strands of pearls around the bottle. Freeze.
Remove the vodka from the freezer and cut the milk carton away from the ice block before serving.
*
My friend Jill’s restless son William texted me (to my surprise) today. “Can you help me choose a present for Mum?” he said.
“Yes,” I answered. “Have you asked her what she wants?”
“Yes. And that’s the problem. Can I visit you tomorrow night?”
I was intrigued by this, but of course I said yes. Why would Jill not suggest a suitable present to her son? (Even if her heart’s desire is a lacy bra and a whizz-bang vibrator, surely she can think of something she’d be happy to put on William’s shopping list?)
[1] Jeremy tried it on chips once. It wasn’t nice.
