Umeshu time

[juicemonkey]

!!!

Im getting a bit late to let y'all know
but if you havent already im strongly reccomending you grasp the season
and rush out and get some vodka, sugar and the greenest apricots you can access

ratios

1kg green fruit
1kg sugar (caster will do)
1.8l etoh - cheaper vodka will do. 37.5 - 40%
or pure etoh if you can get it, cut down

and a big glass jar

pick your unblemished as unripe as you dare apricots in, top with sugar
then infill with booze

let soak at least 2 months
agitating to ensure dissolution of sugar

to use add a portion to a glass, with ice and soda water
place one now shrivelled and shrunken apricot in the glass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umeshu

its a fine drink, and probably very healthy
if you believe what they say about apricots and their pits

if you like that
next year grow soem purple perilla, and add a few leaves to the bottom
they will add their own complementary flavour, and a pink colour

this is an age old housewife practice in japan
the same can be done with other fruits

some more so than others

i think

strawberries
Kumquats
Yuzu
Quince

and others

[juicemonkey]

maybe also

Cherries
Blackberry
Mulberry
actinidia arguta berry
blueberry

davidson plum might be ok
just hope the seed isnt toxic

[gecko]

I have some Davidson plum liquer about 6 yrs old .
unusual flavour, but I left it longer than I would normally
coz I forgot about it and found it in the shed 9-12mths later, filtered and added sugar.
Its about 30% or more, even with added sugar and has a woodiness to it from the stone I'd say.
I'm gonna get some now.
...pour a shot glass full..... sips....sips again....

colour is a clear reddish-orange, a bit darker that Green gigner wine.
A definite vinous taste with a woodiness
sweetness about the same or less than a medium Sherry ,
but more alc. ans a bit smoother
...pours another....sip...sip ...

Its very like a sherry , or at least that category of flavour profiles.

Hmm , worth making again if the opportunity of access to fruit presents again

for now though, in this mediterranean climate,
I'll go with stonefruits,
nuts (walnuts for Noccino around late Dec)
I'm gonna have a play with Pistachio this year.
Nespolino- Loquat seeds liquer
lemoncello/lemoncino
mandarinello
Basilichino - Basil liquer - tulsi might a be nice variation on this

[juicemonkey]

of course
lemoncino

great stuff:)

[fez]

i got a kilo of green apricots today, but they are absolutely hard. can i use these or do i want them a bit soft but still green?

started some nocino today which im lookin forward to

30 green walnuts
10g cinnamon sticks
10g whole cloves
1-inch piece of vanilla bean
Zest of one lemon
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 liter vodka

[juicemonkey]

hard is good

[sassman]

going to start making a series of drinks from loqut both fruit with seed and seed alone has anyone got any reliable recipies? and hello to all after a long holiday on my part:)

[gomaos]

hello good to have u back sassman

[tribal]

welcome back sassman!

why the seed?

[gecko]

Loquat seeds are used to make 'Nespolino' a liquer that sort of tastes a bit like Amaretto.
Loquats are botanically related to Almonds - Rosaceae Family

[spacemonk]

I shocked some oba:sans in sping over in japan as they saw me monkeying around collecting (plums)?
DPI at Mahoochydore research station are propagating ume..... pretty sure its for the same japanese guy that grows tea locally.

Edit: and also some amazingly huge fingerlimes, sadly with no seed in em . good to add to beer.

[juicemonkey]

grafted P mume?

ive got a very healthy tree from seed

[juicemonkey]

too bad my pot of umeshu got infected while i was in bali

went mouldy so it was funked

[gecko]

too bad my pot of umeshu got infected while i was in bali

went mouldy so it was funked

Bugger!

Just have to use for green apricots again.

I could send you a sample of my Noccino
It wont bring them back, I know ,
but It might help you forget it for a while

[spacemonk]

IMG_0839.JPG (669.76 KiB) Viewed 56 times

the Ume

IMG_0843.JPG (527.28 KiB) Viewed 56 times

the shu

IMG_0846.JPG (522.74 KiB) Viewed 56 times

additional step to remove the stemmy bit skewer comes in handy.

juice do you have any ume/japanese maple plants to sell?



sorrry about the size