Cordial

Derived from the Latin word cor, meaning “heart,” cordial, as a noun, once commonly referred to a medicine or a medicinal beverage that invigorates the heart, and stimulates circulation. Today, the term has come to mean a fruit syrup or a concentrated fruit-based beverage, presumably because it was thought such a concoction would have the affect of arousing the functions of the heart. Use of the term cordial dates back to medieval times and has altered slightly over the years. Cordials are made by three methods: infusion, in which the flavorings steep in the alcohol; percolation, in which the alcohol is percolated with the flavors; and distillation, in which ingredients are distilled directly from their extracted flavors. Most American cordials are quite sweet, with up to 35 percent sugar. They are made from various fruits, herbs, beans, etc. A dry cordial must have less than 10 percent sugar. No cordial can have less than 2.5 percent sugar by weight. One of the most common cordials today is the French cassis, a spirit derived from black currant juice. Cordials are also known as liqueurs, the term is more popular in England and France.