Frieda Loves Plants

It’s officially Myrtle Season! If you’re lucky enough to have a Myrtus communis bush nearby, those beautiful dark blue-black berries are finally ready for their close-up.

In my kitchen, this is the time of year when the jars come out and the "potion-making" begins. If you’ve never had myrtle cordial (often called Mirto in Sardinia), it’s earthy, floral, and slightly spicy—basically winter in a glass.

Here is my quick-and-dirty guide to making a batch of "Purple Gold."

1. The Forage
Go out and find a bush loaded with ripe, waxy berries. You want the ones that look like tiny, dusty blueberries. Give them a quick rinse to get rid of any hitchhiking bugs, and let them air dry. Moisture is the enemy of a good infusion!

2. The Big Soak
Fill a clean glass jar about 2/3 full with your berries. Don’t be shy; the more berries, the deeper the flavor. Pour in a decent vodka (or a neutral grain spirit) until the berries are completely submerged.

3. The Dark Room
Seal that jar tight and hide it in a cool, dark cupboard. Now comes the hard part: patience. Give it a shake every few days. I usually let mine sit for about 40 days, but you can go up to two months if you want it extra bold.

4. The Sweet Finish
After the wait, strain out the berries (they’ll look like little raisins now).

Make a simple syrup by dissolving 1 part sugar in 1 part warm water.

Once cool, mix the syrup into your infused vodka.

Pro Tip: Add the syrup slowly and taste as you go. Some like it syrupy-sweet; I like mine to keep a bit of that wild, herbal bite.

5. The Chill
Bottle it up and let it rest for another week to let the flavors marry. Serve it ice-cold straight from the freezer after a big dinner.

Photo taken by me, all rights reserved (c)

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

Frieda Loves Plants

Behind the camera...Me hiking, foraging and observing wild plants and mushrooms. Stay tuned for more. Thank you for being a subscriber and / or visiting my channel :)

1 month ago | [YT] | 5