03rd Jun 2008
Ratafia
Yesterday, I decided to try making something totally new for me…a ratafia. Initially, I was going to make an entirely vodka-based liqueur but then I found this NY Times article by Pete Wells: Bottling the Bounty of the Season. Google pointed me to this article because I had searched for recipes using loquat seeds. After reading it, I found I rather liked the idea of using wine instead of liquor to make the beverage. And so it was out to the garden to harvest some loquats!
This was taken this afternoon so, obviously, I didn’t need the entire crop …
I added a bit more fruit than the Times article called for and also added some of the loquat seeds. This is what ended up going into my fridge:
2 cups chopped loquats
1/4 cup loquat seeds
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vodka
750 ml Pinot Grigio
I also saved a whack of the seeds, just in case I do want to make the vodka-based liqueur after all.
If this turns out, it could make a really interesting way to capture the seasonal flavours. I reckon this will make a great beverage for midsummer; I bet it would be super made into a Pimm’s Cup sort of drink too…
i just picked a ton of loquats from the two giant trees in the backyard of my apartment building here in san francisco. i am going to try this and i will report back. sounds delicious!!
jennifer
It is really good! The seeds give an almond-ish undertone to the flavour. Mmmmmm.
I’m just waiting for the second of my loquat trees to ripen before doing up this year’s batch. (The dogs eat all of the loquats off the tree in their part of the yard.)
The ratafia is a little sweet so I found it was best mixed with some soda water or 7-Up (like a Pimm’s Cup). If you like sweet wines, it would be fine just as is though.
Let me know how yours turns out!