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House Made Cordials
We have always found that people are interested in seasonal eating and understanding that the food consumed has a carbon footprint. However not as many people are interested in or aware of the challenges the environment faces because of our drink’s choices.
So many more people are choosing not to drink, so it’s important to have great options for guests who do not drink alcohol. This is so often a second thought. That’s why we always make our own cordials for several reasons.
Firstly, and most importantly they taste better!
We use a seasonal product that we can preserve for the rest of the year so we can enjoy a snapshot of summer in the middle of the deep, dark winter.
We have reduced our carbon footprint by making our own by 4 times! Many less food miles and no need for packaging.
We use a product that would otherwise end up in the bin. Natoora, the country’s leading fruit vegetable suppliers, who are just as dedicated to sustainable practice as we are. They sell us fruits that are slightly bruised, wonky, misshapen, and otherwise not fit for the general market. These are perfect for preserving and we know we have rescued something from the bin!
As our summers continue to get hotter due to climate change, we are seeing shorter seasons of some of the glorious fruits we love. To continue to get the most of these harvests I have included a recipe that sings of summer and will last in a fridge for up to 6 months.
Apricot, Wildflower & Chamomile Cordial
1kg of Apricots
1kg of Wild Flower Honey
2L of Cold Infused Chamomile Tea
100ml lemon juice
50g Tartaric Acid
Make the chamomile tea by steeping 50g of chamomile flowers in cold water overnight.
Strain and add to a pan with the stoned and halved apricots and honey. We use Payne’s farm based in Sussex, the flavour changes throughout the year and at the moment has a wonderful lavender twang! Bring the contents up to the boil and reduce by a third until syrupy. Use a stick blender to get the most out of the fruit and then let it sit until room temperature. Strain through muslin, add the lemon juice and tartaric acid. We put this into swing top bottles and keep in the fridge. It can keep for 6 months but it never lasts that long because it’s so delicious!