A Honey Cordial
by Dame Gabrielle Loude
Castillian Crown War, 2003
Cordials (and liqueurs) are a simply flavored and sweetened distilled alcoholic
spirit. The word 'liqueur' is derived from the Latin liquefacere which means
to melt or dissolve. This refers to the methods of flavoring the base alcohol.
(The methods used will be discussed later.) Most period recipes are used as
a "medicine" rather than as a drink for simple enjoyment. The majority
of these manuscripts appear alongside recipes for soaps, ointments, poultices
and "wound waters".
The first recorded use of flavored cordial dates back to the Boke of Wine,
1240. Italian author Catalan Arnold de Vila Nova wrote of the distillation
of wine into aqua vitae and the subsequent flavoring of these spirits with
various herbs and spices. He and other alchemists believed in the restorative
and life giving properties of these waters. One of his followers, Raymond
Lully felt this went so far as to publicly proclaim that their production
was a divinely inspired gift from Heaven. These early liqueurs were considered
alchemical potions, not pleasure drinks.
Catherine de Medici is credited with bringing them with her to France when
she married into royalty in the 14th century. Monastic orders are responsible
for the bulk of production of liqueurs between the fourteenth century and
the early seventeenth centuries. For example: Benedictine, dates back to the
Benedictine monk Dom Bernardo Vincelli, in the Abbey of Fecamp in 1510. Chartreuse
was originally an 'Elixir de longue Vie', given in 1605 to a Carthusian monastery
near Paris by the Marechal d'Estrees, a captain under Henri IV. Recipes, too,
for the herbal liqueurs of Aiguebelle, Carmeline, La Senancole, and Trappastine
were also originally monastic elixirs (primarily Cistertian). However, not
all production of liqueurs was limited to monasteries. By the middle to the
end of the sixteenth century several distilleries had been formed which were
producing commercial quantities of liqueurs. These included the Dutch distillery
of Bols, founded in 1575 and Der Lachs, a German distillery which began producing
Danzig Goldwasser in 1598.
Period Methods Utilized:
Obtaining the flavors-
The process of maceration was used in the making of this cordial. Maceration
refers to the steeping of the aromatic/flavoring agent which has usually been
bruised in water or alcohol for a period of time in order to extract an essence
from it. This essence, then, is added to the base as the flavoring agent.
Steeping-
Pick an alcohol base. In this case, I picked a flavored spirit which took the
flavors I added, but still retained its own unique flavor.
Flavoring added: Fruit rind (oranges), spices (cinnamon and cloves), honey to
sweeten the taste
Filtering-
Filtration usually comes in three distinct phases
Straining the solid fruits out after steeping
Filtering before aging.
Filtering after aging.
Filtering is to remove the large particles of flavoring or other foreign matter.
After the initial steeping process I filtered out the rind and spices. Cheesecloth
is a period mechanism for filtering.
Aging-
Aging allows the flavors to blend or marry. There are many various amounts of
time that should be used. The general rule of thumb is:
1.If the liqueur is based on fruit meats, like apples or peaches, steep two
weeks to a month, age a month
2.If the liqueur relies on berries, either steep two weeks to a month and age
a month, or steep three months and age another month.
3.If the liqueur relies on oils, as with citrus peels, steep a month, age three
4.If the liqueur is a whole spice, steep a few days to a week, bottle and serve
5.If the liqueur is a powdered spice, steep a day or two, bottle and serve
The aging process should take place in a location with no light. Turn or shake
occasionally to keep flavorings from clumping.
Adjusting-
After some time has passed, filter again, taste. Age more if needed
How to judge a cordial or wine~
1. Appearance. Most beverages should be clear. They should not be murky or cloudy.
Hold your glass up to a light, preferably against a plain white background.
The color should be even, blending a little lighter toward the edges. There
should be no swirls of color, or viscosity within the drink, as this indicates
a lack of proper ageing.
2. Aroma. Cordials, of course, will vary, depending on the number and type of
aromatic ingredients used. Gently swirl the liquid around in its glass. This
will concentrate the aromatics at the top of the glass. Sniff gently, placing
the nose over the glass.
3. Taste. The tongue will sense lightness, or fruitiness from the fruit itself;
crispness, or tartness from the acidity of the drink; the presence of higher
alcohols, esters and other flavoring agents such as sugar, honey, or spices.
4. Finish. Swallow just a tiny sip and note the sensations left behind in the
mouth, and also as it flows downward. Feel the alcohol's warming qualities and
aftertaste. All of the various flavor sensations should come together at this
time and compliment each other, none being more noticeable than any of the others.
This balance is the mark of a well-made beverage. The beverage should be smooth,
not harsh.
Recipe:
(Note~ standard mundane measurements are included although they are not period.
Surviving manuscripts use measurements such as enough, some, a handful, a pinch,
etc.)
2 cups brandy
3/4 lb honey
3 tbsp orange rind, peeled in a long spiral if possible
1 cup water, warm but not boiling
1 clove
2 cinnamon sticks, 2 inches ea
Dissolve the honey in the water, then add to the brandy and spices in a bottle
with the orange peel.
This cordial was bottled in November, 2002 and has been filtered 4 times over
the last 8 months.
Ingredients History:
Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices in the world. It was called canela
in Portugal and Spain, cannelle in France, and Zimt in Germany. In the Arab
countries, it was called darchini, meaning "wood from China". The
Hebrew equivalent was "qinnämön", and this is the source
of the word cinnamon. Cinnamon was first mentioned in print in 2700 BC by Chinese
emperor Shen Nung, who was an avid promoter of agriculture. The ancient Egyptians
used cinnamon and cassia along with myrrh in embalming. The Roman Empire imported
huge amounts of cinnamon, and it may have been used mostly in perfumes and fragrances
and to flavor wines, but it was not favored as a cooking spice. Ointments made
fragrant with cinnamon and cassia leaves were common in ancient Greece and Rome.
The most famous cinnamon consumer in history was the Roman Emperor Nero ( AD
54 to 68) who murdered his wife and then made amends by ceremoniously burning
her body with a year's supply of the delectable spice. It is mentioned in the
Bible (Exodus 30): God instructed Moses to prepare a holy anointing oil containing
250 shekels of sweet cinnamon, 500 shekels of cassia, along with myrrh, calamus,
and olive oil. It is also mentioned in Ezekiel, and in the Proverbs as a body
perfume.
In the Middle Ages and subsequently, cinnamon was imported from Egypt to Venice,
having been brought there by Arabian traders who obtained it in Ceylon. The
Arabs, who manipulated a monopoly on the spice trade, never revealed exactly
where the spices came from. If asked, they made vague references to mysterious
lands somewhere in Africa. One of the stories made up involves "cinnamon
growing in a remote mountain range inhabited by giant birds who picked the twigs
from the cinnamon tree to make their nests, which they attached to the rocky
slopes with mud. At great personal risk, local residents would trap the birds
by putting out large pieces of meat at the bottom of the cliff. The birds would
fly down and grasp the heavy meat in their talons and fly back to the nest,
which, unable to support their weight, would suddenly fall to the bottom of
the cliff. The workers would quickly race to pick out the cinnamon from the
nest before the birds attacked them with their sharp beaks. And this, the merchants
explained, is why cinnamon is so expensive."
Cinnamon became a favorite flavor in many banquet foods and was regarded as
an appetite stimulator, a digestive, an aphrodisiac, and a treatment for coughs
and sore throats. It was also used to disguise the taste of spoiling meat.
The true cinnamon of Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) was "discovered"
by the Portuguese in the early 16th century, who thenceforth controlled the
trade with great cruelty.
Honey is mentioned as early on as the 3rd century
BC in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings, the Hittite code, the sacred
writings of India, the Vedas and in the ancient writings of Egypt. It was originally
collected by smoking wild bees from their nests. Honey was valued highly by
these cultures. It was used to pay tributes, tithes, and offerings in the temples.
Until the end of the Middle Ages, honey was the common sweetener in much of
the world. Sugar began to be imported from the Orient during the Rennaisance
but was still much too expensive for most common households to afford.
Dates of Interest:
The first recorded use of honey during the fermentation process is from 11th
century Germany, for the sweetening of beer.
Cloves~ The name, Clou (French) or Clavo (Spanish) originally come from its shape, which resembles a small nail or tack. Cloves are the dried flower buds of a 40 foot tall tree native to the Moluccan Islands, picked by hand when just turning pink. The Chinese began buying cloves from India about 100 BC. It's first documented use dates back to the third century BC in China when visitors who were granted audience with the emperor were required to take a clove from a dish held by a servant and chew it before reaching the royal room so that their breath would not offend the emperor. Eventually Arab trading ships carried cloves to Mediterranean ports. From the 8th century on, cloves became increasingly popular in Europe, and along with nutmeg and cinnamon, the importation of this coveted spice helped the Venetians become extraordinarily wealthy. Asian island rulers, who dominated the spice trade, were soon under attack by Europeans smelling profit. Ferdinand Magellan made his famous voyage around the world (1519 - 1522) while seeking an alternative route to the Moluccas. As evidence to the value of spices, the voyage started off with five ships and over 250 men. Although only one ship and 18 men returned to Spain, it returned with a cargo of about 50 tons of cloves and nutmeg which made the expedition a financial success. Cloves and nutmeg were among the most precious of items of Europe during the 16th century, and they were worth more than their weight in gold. Early in the 1500's Portugal controlled the sale of spices in Europe but the Dutch asserted themselves by the close of the century, occupying Portuguese holdings in the Spice Islands, murdering the competitive English and Moluccan clove growers, and even chopping down countless clove trees to preserve just enough for their own trade.
Oranges came from China, Burma, India, Bhutan or
Malaysia as early as 4000 BC. The word "orange" originates from the
ancient Hindu language of Sanskrit.
The migration of oranges from Asia to Europe began around the fall of the Roman
Empire, when groves first became established in Italy. They did not, however,
begin to flourish in Europe until the fourteenth century when early greenhouses
were developed to help prevent frost damage to trees.
Citrus fruits were originally used for embalming, aphrodisiacs, cleansing agents
and beauty treatments. Before the fruits were used for food, they were valued
as ornamental trees, prized for their fragrant blossoms.
Dates of Interest:
1493 - Christopher Columbus brought orange, lemon and citron seeds to Haiti
and the Caribbean.
1593 - Ponce De Leon brought seeds to Florida and ordered his sailors to plant
them wherever they landed.
Brandy is distilled from fruits such as grapes, apples, blackberries, and apricots.
The brandy I used was distilled from a white wine. Wines, both red and white
were a regular staple in middle - upper class homes. For reference, what water
was available was polluted by the people and was therefore unsuitable for drinking.
Mead, ale, fruit juices, and wines were used when any refreshment was needed.
In 1512, a Dutch trader searching for a way in which to transport larger quantities
of wine, found that by removing the water from the wine he get more casks of
wine onto his ship. He could then add the missing water back to the wine when
he reached his destination. This was known as brandewijn which meant burnt wine
in Dutch and eventually became brandy.
References:
http://ct.essortment.com/brandycognachi_recd.htm
http://www.museudacachaca.com.br/historia_ing.html
UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library ~ http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/spice/
http://www.hungrymonster.com/index.cfm
Kibbey, Heather and Long, Cheryl. How to Make a World of Liqueurs.
Meilach, Dona and Mel. Homemade Liqueurs...
Stuckey, Maggie. The Complete Spice Book
Toussaint, Samat. History of Food