Boozy Fruit

Yesterday's New York Times Dining section had an interesting article about macerated fruit. This is when you take your faves and preserve them longer in any kind of alcohol. It's a great way of making the summer harvest last.It's also a great way of using the new fall season's bounty. Either way you wound up with something that 's sweet, heady and fun.

The piece was written by Dining regular , Melissa Clark, goes on about this new trend. It's an easy way of canning because it's just preserving fruit but without all the canning headaches. Locavores and gardeners love it because it;s using local, straight from your yard fruit. Pickled fruit has been around for ages. The Germans make a wonderful one called rumtopf that starts off with the first strawberries of the season and rum. As the year and harvest progresses other fruits such as peaches and apples are added. It is then opened at Christmas for a wonderful holiday treat.

You can basically mix any kind of liquor with fruit. Most go for rum or vodka. You can also use brandy and gin , depending on the fruit. Brandy and plums work well together. Imagine a winter's night with a decadent treat of vanilla ice cream and well soaked slows. Or blackberries and gin for a cool holiday party dessert. You can also add the "soused" fruit into muffins, cakes and trifles. They'll add kick even if they're spooned over simple butter and vanilla pound cakes.

There's nothing like the fruit of the season. However imagine it pickled in your favorite liquor. It;s a fun , heady treat that's something to look forward to this winter. It's a good for you sweet with a fun bad for you buzz.