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June 2010
Old Bachelor’s Macerated Fruits
Les Fruits du Vieux Garçon
photo by France Ruffenach
For the serious
country cook, bachelor or not, these fruits macerated in alcohol
are a summer-long project. First into the jar go cherries. Then,
as the season advances, apricots, peaches, greengage or yellow
Mirabelle plums, red plums, and finally plump green or purple
figs follow. Each layer is sweetened with sugar and covered with
white alcohol, which in the old days was locally distilled and
could taste like rocket fuel. The spirit permeates the fruit and
prevents it from fermenting, while the fruit juice slowly imbues
the liquid, creating a bracing liqueur. After a three-month
wait—or longer if you can manage to wait—the fruits are ready to
serve.
Versions of
Fruits du Vieux Garçon can be found all over France. Where I
live in Burgundy, marc (the French version of grappa) is the
preferred alcohol. In Alsace, you will find plums in white
alcohol, in Bordeaux it may be cherries in Cognac, and in
Gascony, prunes in Armagnac. For all these spirits, vodka is a
neutral alternative. A tall jar is needed, preferably of glass
so the brightly colored fruits are displayed, packed in layers;
a large domestic canning jar does fine. The fruits should be
ripe but still firm, and firm fruits do better than berries,
which tend to break up.
Makes 2 quarts/2
liters fruits in liqueur
-
8 ounces/225 g
cherries
-
8 ounces/225 g
apricots
-
8ounces/225 g
white peaches
-
8 ounces/225 g
green or yellow plums
-
8 ounces/225 g
red plums
-
8 ounces/225 g
red or green figs
-
About 3 cups/600
g sugar, more if needed
-
1 bottle (750
ml) vodka or Cognac, more if needed
-
2-quart/2-liter
glass jar
Discard the stems
from the fruits and wipe the fruits with a cloth. Prick the
skins with a needle so the alcohol penetrates. Large fruits such
as peaches should be halved, discarding the pits. Roughly
measure the fruits in a 4 cup/1 liter measuring jug, and for
every cup, measure 1/2 cup/100 g sugar. Pack the fruits loosely
in the jar and sprinkle the sugar on top. Add enough vodka just
to cover the fruits. Cover the jar with a cloth or a loose lid
and store in a cool, dark place.
As fruits come
into season, keep adding them with more sugar and alcohol, using
different colors so the layers are distinct. Taste from time to
time, adding more sugar if needed. When the jar is full, seal
it. If any sugar remains undissolved, turn the jar upside down
to mix and dissolve the sugar. Store the fruits for at least 3
months before eating so the flavor mellows.
Excerpted from THE COUNTRY COOKING OF FRANCE
by Anne Willan, Chronicle Books, 2007.
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