Blog, Fermented Food

A Poltergeist in my Booze Cabinet!

Amber Shehan July 22, 2013

I just don’t know what happened, y’all… One minute, the booze cabinet was all happy and tidy – a whole mess o’bottles of varying shapes and sizes sitting side by side, full of delicious cordials, wines, meads, and experiments in progress…but the next minute?  What a mess! You see, I reached into the cabinet and…

booze cabinet at pixiespocket.com

just a portion of the selection…

I just don’t know what happened, y’all…

One minute, the booze cabinet was all happy and tidy – a whole mess o’bottles of varying shapes and sizes sitting side by side, full of delicious cordials, wines, meads, and experiments in progress…but the next minute?  What a mess!

You see, I reached into the cabinet and pulled out a bottle without paying overmuch attention.  As I removed the chosen bottle, there was a suspicious scraping noise, like…well…powdered glass, or sand.  The bottle in my hand was indeed coated in glass dust!  I promptly rinsed it off, set it down, and got a flashlight to see what had happened!

The gory scene lay before me – not just a cracked bottle, or a shattered, empty jar, no.  I wasn’t just a leak from a bad seal.  Somehow, my delicious, popular, brag-worthy strawberry cordial had EXPLODED.

I’m not kidding, you guys.  Look at the picture – the glass was pulverized. Crushed. Teeny, tiny, sand-like bits.

The carnage…

Now, I’ve heard of fermenting beverages popping their corks, or of beer bottles exploding, but not a cordial.  A cordial isn’t fermenting, bubbling, or alive. It is inert booze, soaking up flavors!

So what in the world happened?  Was it maybe a poltergeist?  A furious imp? The Strawberry Association for Free and Sober Fruit?  Whoever is responsible should explain to the poor spider in the corner of the cabinet, whose web was sparkling with glass dust.  They also should have been there to help as I washed each and every sticky, glass-coated bottle from the cabinet.  *sigh*

Whatever it was, I hope they never return.  That cordial was really good!!

Update: (March 2015)  I’ve learned more. It could have been something like my “Blackberry Fizz” accidental experiment. Years later, I’m still living and learning!

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Amber Shehan

Hi! I'm Amber Pixie, and this is my site. Enjoy the recipes, information, posts, and please feel free to message me if you have questions!

2 Comments

  1. Cynthia on December 11, 2013 at 12:16 am

    What a bummer. The ‘Strawberry Association for Free and Sober Fruit’ made me laugh out loud. Did you ever figure out what that happened? Do you have the recipe here somewhere on the blog?

    New to your site and loving it. Just my style 🙂

    • amberpixi on December 11, 2013 at 2:51 pm

      Thanks, Cynthia! I’m following your blog now. 🙂

      I never did figure out what happened – my best guest is that I shoved that ONE LAST jar in too hard, and the pressure on the bottle made it burst? I really don’t know.

      The strawberry cordial was just strawberries soaked in vodka for a few weeks, strained, and poured over MORE strawberries for a few more weeks! Strain again, add sugar syrup or honey to taste, and boom! Delicious strawberry goodness. If you aren’t familiar with playing with cordials or tinctures, you might appreciate this article: http://www.pixiespocket.com/2011/10/lets-talk-about-tinctures-elixirs-and-cordials.html

      Thanks for reading, and commenting, and reaching out!

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