Magnolia Vermouth

New Ways with This Fleeting Visitor

I’ve wanted to make my own vermouth for a long while and it took the petals from my favourite magnolia tree to pink me over the line. And it’s easy, so easy, though not that cheap the first time around buying all the items needed (like that time I decided to make a liqueur from the south west of France called Fénelon). I am, however, now armed with some really good spices and plenty to make more vermouth yet. I’ll definitely use up old bottles of wine next time, rather than a freshly popped Picpoul. Using up old bottles of wine is kind of the point.

I’m excited by the prospect of using different seasonal botanicals for this and lots of different teas since I have so many at my disposal (thanks AVANTCHA). Up next it might be with lilacs, then elderflower, then dog rose, all the way through to ceps in the autumn. With the addition of a smoky black tea, or a soupy, vegetal gyokuro green tea from Japan. Things could get thrilling.

This magnolia number first though - full of sweet, spicy green cardamon, cooling lavender, and the warm, gingery perfume of magnolia. Delicious over ice with a slice of orange. Here’s how:

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Ingredients

• 1 orange

• bottle of light white wine, divided (think pinot grigio, picpoul etc.)

• petals from at least 8 whole blooms of pink magnolia

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 tsp dried pink rosebuds

• 8 green cardamom pods, bashed

• 1 star anise

• 1 tsp dried lavender

• 1/2 tsp wild mountain mint

• 1/4 tsp wormwood leaf

• 50g sugar

• 60ml boiling water

• 120ml brandy

• 120ml sweet or India sherry

Method

1. Zest the orange and set the rest of the fruit aside for another use.

2. Pour 250ml of wine into a pot, reserving the remainder. Add all of the orange zest along with the magnolia petals, cinnamon stick, rosebuds, cardamom, star anise, lavender, and wormwood. Heat over medium until it reaches a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out the solids, and return the infused liquid to the pot.

3. In a separate pot, add the sugar and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until it melts and turns a deep caramel color—about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

4. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle. Measure out 60ml and carefully pour it into the caramelised sugar while stirring continuously—caution, it may splatter.

5. Add the remaining wine to the infused wine mixture and bring it to a boil. Slowly pour it into the caramel syrup, stirring to combine. Add the brandy and sherry, stir well, and let the mixture cool completely.

6. Once cooled, transfer to a bottle, seal, and refrigerate.

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Want to know more about culinary uses for magnolia? I’ve written something here. And here’s a poem about love and magnolia, with photos of a tree transitioning through the seasons.