Medicinal Cordial

More treat than medicine, cordials offer a fun way to enjoy healing herbs. Digestive cordials are popular, but you can also make heart tonics, aphrodisiac elixirs, or bedtime nightcaps. Sip them from a shot or cordial glass after a meal, add a splash to seltzer, or incorporate them into homemade cocktails. Cordials keep for several years on the self, but they do lose color, flavor, and potency over time.

What You’ll Need:

• Fresh herbs, dried herbs, and/or dried fruit
• Simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup
• High quality 80-proof vodka, brandy, or other spirit
• Jar with lid, strainer, measuring cup

Directions:

• Loosely fill your jar with chopped fresh herb and/or fruit (half full for dried)
• Cover with a combination that is one third simple syrup and two-thirds vodka/spirits. Shake well.
• Shake daily and taste regularly. Strain as soon as the mixture tastes good, which may be the case in as little as time as a day – letting steep for too long may hamper the flavor. Fresh fruit and herbs are usually best within 1 to 3 days. Dried herbs can stay in the infusion for as long as you like before you strain it.