Raspberry Vinegar and Brandy

Raspberry Vinegar.

Makes a great vinaigrette and also good diluted with lemonade or fizzy water!

Allow 1 pint of good white wine vinegar to each 1lb of raspberries. Using a glass bowl, crush the fruit and pour the cold vinegar over. Leave for 3 days, stirring now and again. Strain through a jelly bag, or muslin. Add 8oz sugar to each pint of liquid. Bring slowly to the boil, dissolving sugar, and boil for 5 minutes. Pour into sterilized bottles and seal down.

I don't think the first recipe I used required it to be heated, but I don't know which one that was!

You can use frozen raspberries.


Raspberry Brandy
3lb raspberries,
750 cl, a bottle of brandy.
1 lb sugar

Crush the raspberries, once again frozen can be used.
I put them in a large glass stoppered jar, add the brandy.
Leave for about 2 months, out of the light.
Strain off the fruit, squeezing to extract all the juice.
Add 1 lb sugar, stirring every so often to dissolve the sugar.
Filter again if needed.

Improves with keeping, but can be used straight away. My notes tell me that the first time I made it I started on 27th November and bottled it on March 2nd. This same first time we thought it might be good topped up with champagne! It was, but it's pretty lethal!!! We haven't done it since.