Cordials

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 2 teaspoons grated lime rind
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon citric acid
• 1 teaspoon tartaric acid
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 3 cups boiling water

Place lemon rind, lime rind, lemon juice, lime juice, citric acid, tartaric acid and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Strain into a heatproof jug. Pour into hot, sterilized bottles and seal. Refrigerate until chilled. To serve: Use 1/3 cup cordial to 2/3 cup chilled sparkling mineral water or iced water. Serve with thinly sliced lemon and lime.

• 2 cups caster sugar
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 500g strawberries, hulled, washed, halved
• 2 whole green cardamom pods, bruised
• Chilled water or soda water, to serve

Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and simmer for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the strawberries and cardamom pods. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Set aside for 30 minutes or until completely cool. Strain strawberry pulp, gently pressing with the back of a spoon, through a fine sieve into a clean bottle.
To serve, place 2 tbs of cordial in each serving glass, top with chilled water or soda water and serve immediately.

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
• 250g strawberries, washed, hulled
• Chilled sparkling white wine, to serve

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Add the vanilla bean. Increase heat to medium and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until the syrup thickens slightly. Transfer to a jug and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Meanwhile place the strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Remove the vanilla pod from the syrup. Stir the strawberry puree into the syrup. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a jug and discard the seeds. Pour the syrup into a clean sealable bottle.
To serve, pour 1 1/2 tablespoons cordial into each serving glass. Slowly top with the sparkling wine and serve immediately.

• 900g fresh or frozen blackberries
• 2 cups sugar
• 375ml vodka
• Chilled soda water, to serve

Place the blackberries, sugar and vodka into a large clean glass jar. Seal and invert to combine. Set aside in a cool place, turning occasionally, for 24 hours or until the sugar dissolves. Pour the blackberry mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl or jug. Use the back of a spoon to press firmly to extract the liquid. Discard the pulp. Transfer the blackberry cordial to a clean bottle or jar and place in the fridge until serving. Serve the blackberry vodka cordial with chilled soda water.

• 300g frozen raspberries, just thawed
• 1 cup caster sugar
• Chilled sparkling wine or sparkling mineral water, to serve
• Crushed ice, to serve

Combine raspberries and sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Place raspberry mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a sieve and strain into a medium glass bowl. Pour into a sealable bottle.
To serve, pour cordial among glasses, top with sparkling wine or mineral water and ice.

• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 300g frozen or fresh raspberries
• 6-8 drops rosewater

Place sugar, lime juice and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add raspberries and increase the heat to bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes then remove from heat and stir in rosewater. Allow to cool. Pour the raspberry mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Press mixture through a sieve to remove seeds. Store cordial in a clean, dry jar.
To serve, add a little cordial to iced water, soda water or lemonade.

• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup grapefruit juice
• 300g fresh or frozen raspberries

Put caster sugar, lime juice, water and grapefruit juice in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add raspberries and cook for 2 minutes or until the raspberries break up slightly. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Strain the cordial into a jug and discard raspberry pulp. Pour the cordial into clean bottles and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
To serve, add a couple of tablespoons of cordial to chilled soda water or lemonade.

• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 cups pink grapefruit juice
• Water or mineral water, to serve

Place sugar and water into a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high. Boil, without stirring, for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Pour pink grapefruit juice into a sealable jug. Add sugar syrup. Stir well to combine. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until chilled.
To serve, fill one-third serving glasses with cordial and top with water.

• 8 passionfruit (about 3/4 cup of pulp)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 liter chilled soda water

Slice the passionfruit in half and spoon the pulp into a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla, caster sugar and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Pour the cordial into a clip-lock bottle and refrigerate until required. Cordial can be made up to a week in advance. Serve with chilled soda water.

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh passionfruit pulp
• Ice cubes, to serve
• Sparkling water, chilled, to serve

Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Stir in the passionfruit pulp. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a jug, pushing the pulp through with the back of a spoon. Discard seeds. Pour syrup into an airtight bottle and seal. Place in the fridge to chill.
Divide ice cubes among serving glasses. Add passionfruit cordial to taste and top with sparkling water to serve. If you want to make an alcoholic version of this cordial, simply replace the sparkling water with sparkling white wine.

• 1 lime
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 7cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, sliced crossways
• Ice cubes, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve
• Chilled tea or soda water, to serve

Use a peeler to peel the rind from the lime, then juice the lime. Place the sugar, ginger, lime rind, lime juice and 1.5 liters water in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool. Strain into a large jug. Place in the fridge to chill. Discard the ginger and zest and lime rind.
To serve, place some cordial in a glass with a few ice cubes and lime wedges. Pour over chilled tea or soda water to serve.

• 1 cup fresh orange juice (4 oranges) + 2 long strips zest
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (5 lemons) + 2 long strips zest
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 tbs Gourmet Garden Ginger Spice Blend
• Flat or sparkling mineral water
• Ice, to serve

Combine orange juice, lemon juice, zest and sugar in a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Stir constantly, over a low heat, without boiling, until sugar has completely dissolved. Increase heat and bring to the boil. Simmer, without stirring, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, then add Ginger Spice Blend and whisk to combine. Pour a little of the cordial over ice in a glass and top up with mineral water. Stir to combine and serve immediately.
Store cordial in an airtight container or sterilized bottle in the fridge. Add a nip of vodka and some mint leaves for a delicious and refreshing adults only version.

• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 4 passionfruit, halved
• 2 teaspoons citric acid
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar

Combine 3 cups cold water, orange rind, orange juice, passionfruit pulp, citric acid and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until mixture has reduced slightly. Strain into a heatproof jug. Pour into hot, sterilised bottles and seal. Refrigerate until chilled.
Serve using 1/3 cup cordial to 1/2 cup chilled sparkling mineral water or iced water.

• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons citric acid
• 1 teaspoon tartaric acid
• 10cm piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 granny smith apples, grated

Place sugar, citric acid, tartaric acid, ginger and 2 cups cold water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Place apple in a heatproof bowl. Add water mixture. Stand for 10 minutes. Strain into a large, heatproof jug. Pour into hot, sterilized bottles and seal. Refrigerate until chilled.
Serve using 1/3 cup cordial to 1/2 cup chilled sparkling mineral water or iced water. Serve with fresh mint leaves and finely diced granny smith and red apples.

• 500g frozen mixed berries, thawed
• 2 teaspoons tartaric acid
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 cup boiling water

Place berries, tartaric acid, lemon juice and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Strain through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon, into a large, heatproof jug. Pour into hot, sterilized bottles and seal. Refrigerate until chilled.
Serve using 1/3 cup cordial to 2/3 cup chilled sparkling mineral water or iced water. Serve with frozen raspberries.

Chilled lemon barley juice is both delicious and invigorating. The gentle earthiness of the bay leaves blend perfectly with the tangy flavor of the lemons.

• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 3 lemons
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• ice cubes, lemon slices and springs of lemon balm to decorate

Put the pearl barley in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Stir well then rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Put in a pan with 4 cups of  boiling water, bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Scrub the lemons and pare off the rind with a sharp knife. Squeeze the juice and reserve. Put the pared rind in a bowl with the bay leaves and sugar. Strain the hot barley water over the sugar mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and leave overnight. Add the lemon juice and transfer to a jug. Chill for up to two weeks. Served undiluted with ice, lemon slices and springs of lemon balm to decorate.

Red Currants and Oranges combine with a subtle hint of Rosemary to make a tangy, summery cordial.

• 8 cups fresh red currants
• 8 large springs of rosemary finely grated rind
• juice of 2 oranges
• granulated sugar

Strip the red currants from their stems, put them in a pan and mash lightly using a potato masher. Add the rosemary, orange rind and 1 1/4 cups water and brig just to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Stir in the orange juice. Strain the fruit and juices through a jelly bag overnight until the mixture is dry. Put the juice in a pan adding 1 3/4 cups of sugar for every 2 1/2 cups syrup. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved then bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until syrupy. Pour into clean bottles and cover with stoppers. Store into refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serve with ice-cold water on your taste.

Collect rosehips from the hedgerows for this delightful cordial. It makes a wonderful autumn and winter drink.

• 2 1/4 lb. Rosehips
• granulated sugar

Put 7 1/2 cups water in a large pan and bring to boil. Blend the rosehips in a food processor until finely chopped. Add them to the boiling water, cover the pan with a lid and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for 15 minutes. Strain the rosehips through a jelly bag and leave overnight until the juices stop dripping through. Measure the juice and return to the pan adding 1 3/4 cups sugar for every 2 1/2 cups syrup. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until syrupy. Pour into clean bottles and cover with stoppers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serve with ice-cold water, on your taste or lemonade as a thirst-quenching drink.