Crafting Raspberry Cordial - Two Ways: A Simple Soda Syrup & A Gentle, Cooked Beverage
Picture this: We return home after an excursion into the wild, our baskets filled to the brim with fragrant, ripe raspberries (you can read about our berry foraging adventure here). As we unload the bounty, we notice the raspberries are already beginning to surrender to a juicy pulp. Aided by a generous coating of sugar and a few gentle stirs, our berries soon transform into a delightful sugary slurry. We could easily bottle this fresh, raw mixture as is, relishing it as a homemade raspberry jam. But today, we have a thirst to quench and a cordial to craft.
The first way we want to share with you is as simple as it gets. To make a timeless raspberry soda syrup, we allow our sugary berry blend to macerate overnight. By morning, we're greeted with a thick, sweet syrup that only needs to be mixed with sparkling water to create a classic, refreshing raspberry soda. Pure berry, sugar, and a dash of fizz - simplicity at its finest.
Add enough sugar to the raspberries to coat!
Stir a few times - And transfer to a glass container that goes into the fridge.
We love these chunky glasses - so versatile.
The next day you can strain the fresh and thick raspberry syrup.
A couple of ice-cubes will help keep the fizz in the sparkling water
Watch out for over-pouring!
Now, if you're craving an "Anne of Green Gables"-inspired cordial, we take a slightly different route. We gently cook the raspberry mixture for a few minutes, just long enough to release the flavors but not long enough for the pectin to thicken it. You can save a portion of the cooked mixture as a more traditional jam if you like, but we dilute the remaining mix with fresh water until it yields a taste that is pleasant but not overpowering. Bottle, chill, and voila! You have a refreshing, lightly cooked raspberry cordial that perfectly encapsulates the flavors of summer.
Lovely served with a fresh cooked raspberry jam and buns. See here for our trusty baking method.
This cordial doesn't resemble the infamous fermented version that got Anne and her friend Diana into a hilarious predicament - But it may if you let it sit around for too long. Instead, it's a tribute to the simple pleasures of summer - fresh berries, homemade beverages, and time well spent in nature's bounty. And remember, only simmer the mix for a few minutes, not too long. We want the freshness of the raspberries to shine through. Enjoy it with joy, just like our young heroine would!