A&S Night – Cordials with Mistress Elspeth & Mistress Alane

Cordials
At the Cozy Craft Room
Tuesday, October 20th
Taught by Mistress Alane and Mistress Elspeth Anne

Cordials started as 15th-century medicinal elixirs in European monasteries and apothecaries before evolving into sweet, recreational liqueurs and non-alcoholic fruit syrups.  The word “cordial” comes from the medieval Latin word cor, meaning heart, because early practitioners believed these drinks could invigorate the heart and revive the spirit.  Monks and alchemists steeped herbs, spices, and botanicals in a distilled alcohol base to treat digestive issues, cure ailments, and warm the body.  Precious ingredients like gold, pearls and coral were sometimes added. These were believed to revive the spirit and to preclude disease.

As flavors grew sweeter and more intense, European aristocrats began drinking cordials for pleasure rather than medicine. They became popular as pre-dinner apéritifs or post-dinner digestifs served in tiny crystal glasses.  Historic monastic recipes like Chartreuse (created in 1605) and Benedictine (tracing back to 16th-century Normandy) date directly back to this era.