a harvest feast for the equinox / bramble scotch
Updated: Nov 27, 2021
As a service to my readers, food & feast posts will always feature the recipe first, with history, folklore, and cooking tips toward the bottom of the page. For background on this recipe and helpful hints for navigating technique, scroll down! Otherwise, dive right in with the recipe below.
bramble scotch
Yields 1 bottle of liqueur
Vegan / Gluten Free
Prep time : 5 minutes
Infuse time : 4 months
1 bottle (750mL) low-to-mid price scotch
1 cup sugar
12 oz (about 2 cups) fresh or frozen blackberries, room temperature
In a wide mouth mason jar, combine your scotch and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add your blackberries, and muddle with the back of a wooden spoon so that most of the berries are crushed. All berries should be submerged below the surface of the scotch. If any float to the top, weigh them down with a ziplock bag fill of pie weights or dry beans. Seal the jar and allow to infuse for 4 months.
When the scotch has infused, it should take on a deep, wine-dark purple. Strain the berries from the liquid using a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter, and discard. Serve neat or over ice, garnished with fresh blackberries.
Details about this recipe, technique, lore, & correspondences are coming soon! In the meantime, check out the other dishes in this Autumn Equinox feast, and some information on the rituals & significance of this solar holiday.