Cocktail Hour

Quince Two Times..

It seems fitting that my last post before the Christmas hiatus is booze related.

As observant readers will already know I recently ended up with rather a lot of home-made quince cordial (after a rather less than successful attempt at making jelly.)

As nice as cordial is mixed with water, the mind naturally drifted to how I might more pleasantly imbibe some of this blasted stuff. Cocktails, that's how.
After much experimentation (well, a pleasant gin-soaked afternoon) I came up with the following:-

The Quince Regent.

This first cocktail is a variant of last week's Gin Fizz. I simply swapped the simple syrup for the quince cordial. Taste wise a hit of aromatic quince gives way to a very zesty finish, the soda water making for a refreshing winter bracer. 

Essentially you end up a rather enjoyable gin & quince laced lemonade - giving you a deceptively strong highball that it's all to easy to gulp down quickly!

Ingredients & Equipment:

• 40ml Dry Gin
• 20ml Quince Cordial
• 20ml Lemon Juice
• Bottle, Fever Tree Soda Water
• Lemon wedge, to garnish
• Highball glass
• Cocktail Shaker
• Ice

Procedure:

• Add the gin, cordial and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker and, well, shake.
• Pour over ice in to a highball glass.
• Top with the soda water and stir.
• Garnish with the lemon wedge

The Quinclet.

Essentially the bastard child of a pink gin and a Gimlet this one. Despite the fact it is inescapably pink, this drink will put hairs on your chest. Don't let anyone tell you different.

The quince gives the finished article a more rounded flavour than a straight gimlet, however the lime juice and bitters lend a pleasing bite to the finish.

Ingredients & Equipment:

40ml Dry Gin

20ml Quince Cordial

20ml Lime juice

Liberal dash, Angostura Bitters

Lime zest, to garnish

Cocktail shaker

Ice 

Martini glass, chilled

Procedure:

Pour a couple of drops of bitters in to the martini glass.

Give the gin, cordial and lemon juice a jolt in a shaker with a couple of ice cubes.

Strain in to the martini glass and garnish with a strip of lime zest.

Sit down before drinking!

I am now retreating to darkest rural Sweden for the duration of the Festivities, but will be back with more drink and fashion related ramblings in the New Year. 

I wish you all a very merry Christmas. Tinkerty-tonk!

Quince Jam

After last week's abortive effort at Quince Jelly we are pleased to report the jam part of operations was a resounding success.
Jam making - not the most manly of pursuits I hear you say. However, autumn is the perfect time to stock your larder for the rest of the year, and in keeping with first principles here at New Utility, we try to make everything from scratch.
Yes, it is perhaps easier to nip out for shop bought jam, but it is never quite as good, or as satisfying, as your own homemade efforts.

Quince jam in particular is difficult to find in most supermarkets. A fruit that has sadly fallen out of wider use, quince have a beautiful rose like flavour and, being naturally high in pectin, are ideal for jam making.

To recap for those of you who weren't paying attention last week, quince resembles a hard golden yellow pear, but is actually a member of the rose family and has an amazing rose like perfume and taste.

The jam itself can be eaten both as normal on toast or as a savoury preserve with rich meats like venison or mutton. It will keep for over a year. The original rich golden colour will darken over time to a deep red.
Later in the year you can use any left overs in desserts - a quince jam tart is one of our favourites.

The recipe is simplicity itself - quince, sugar, lemon juice. That's it. Quince are a little labour intensive to prepare but it's absolutely worth it. This jam is some of the best I've tasted.

Quince. Sugar. Lemon Juice. This recipe is rather easy.

Ingredients:

1. 4.5lb / 2kg quince
2. 1.75lb / 800g sugar
3. 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Peel and core the quince. Cut in to chunks.
2. Put the prepared fruit in a large bowl of water as you go, otherwise it will turn brown.
3. Drain and transfer to a heavy pot. Fill with enough water to just cover the quince.
4. Cover and bring to boil over a high heat. Boil for 30 mins.
5. Drain off the liquid in to another pot if making quince jelly. (If not, discard.)
6. Pulp in a food processor to the consistency of apple sauce.
7. Transfer back to the pot. Add 230ml of water, the sugar and lemon juice.
8. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly so the fruit doesn't brown
9. Cook for about 40 mins, or until the jam melds, stirring frequently. All the excess liquid should cook off and the jam fall from the spoon in chunks when done.
10. Leave to cool for a bit
11. *Decant in to sterilised jars. When cooled completely, seal

Hard at work jarring the results. (Shortly before a round of toast spread with the left-overs.)

*10 minutes in a hot oven ought to do it.