Make Your Own Aperitif With Oranges and Lousy Wine

Many West Coast residents know that citrus season is the season of fruit bounty, and while people from other regions may or may not have this wonderful problem, they can still get great deals even as the season draws to a close. While living in Oakland, California, I saw local hero Samyn Nosrat blog about Vin D’Orange years ago, just as I walked over to a case of barely drinkable local wine. and a huge bag of Meyer lemons and oranges. .

Vin D’Orange is so delicious that I’ve made it over and over again using generous backyard fruit given to me by citrus growers. While I’m spending the winter at home in New York, I’m in California daydreaming about an informal backyard food exchange network and how it’s changed my culinary habits for the better. Any extra fruit or wine went into the jar to make Vin D’Orange, a waste-saving hobby with a limoncello-like reward.

While limoncello can be overly strong and sugary, this easy concoction hits the spot because it’s easy to make (if you have the ingredients available) and easy to swallow. Limoncello or Orangecello are actually more practical in comparison; no zest is needed for this simple peel-free project.

Basics

With a ratio of two bottles of wine to every six medium (or four large) oranges, you can get started today. Although it takes 40 days (as in Catholicism), the only thing you’ll need besides oranges and wine is sugar, vodka (or other hard alcohol) and time.

To make your new favorite spring drink, simply dissolve ½ cup of sugar in wine and add ⅔ cup of vodka. Peel and cut the fruit and pack it in several large jars, then pour over the wine mixture. For added mold protection, place a Ziploc on top and fill the bag with water to bring the fruit under the surface of the wine, but this is not necessary if the wine completely covers the contents.

Steep for 30-40 days, then strain and enjoy in the refrigerator. Although Nosrat’s version uses bitter Seville oranges, they are not as easy to find in the backyard, so use whatever oranges you have on hand. Her blog also has more tips on balancing along the way, but I never tested mine and it always slapped me.

Other Waste Reduction Tips

Some might find it offensive to steep the wine despite being a traditional Spanish aperitif, but here’s the real trick: use this recipe to get rid of the wine you don’t like and don’t be afraid to mix and match. . I was able to repurpose a whole case of wine that I didn’t care about, which was certainly better than letting it sit undrunk for who knows how long.

Volume is your friend. Buying fruit and wine on sale is the best way to get it as cheap as possible, especially if you don’t regularly get bushels of oranges or cases of homemade wine. Boxed wines are great for this, as you can buy up to three liters at a time, so you can make about half a five-gallon bucket with two boxes and a bag of fruit, making about eight bottles of finished wine. .

Make it yours

This recipe is endlessly customizable. I’ve made it with grapefruit, kumquat, lime, and Meyer lemon, and even used grappa as a fortifier, and it still came out amazing. If you live near a unique grocery store and want to get creative, adding rare citrus fruits like Buddha’s hand or adding fresh herbs can take things to a whole other level.

Try making one batch with rosé and another with Pinot Grigio. I even used an open bottle of prosecco last night when I didn’t feel like drinking it, just because it was there and it worked. You can turn this recipe into any form you want, and as long as you add sugar and enrich it, it’s drinkable no matter how it tastes. Enrich with just about anything you want, but keep in mind that the flavor will show up in the final formula, so if you’re not sure you want to try gin, whiskey, or rum, use neutral spirits.

If you’re not into fruit, the closest thing to doing it yourself in the store is Mommenpop’s line of citrus aperitifs . They embody the magic of a homemade product that can be ingested and mixed, with several different citrus profiles to try for those of us who don’t grow citrus outside our windows.

Another way to do it your way is to serve it the way you like it. It is very pleasant to drink it chilled and undiluted, but it is best to drink it in a spritze, negroni or just with a little soda. Your personal formula would make a great party gift, signature drink for a special occasion, or a family activity to use your lawn’s crop if you happen to live in one of these lucky states.