vodka for bandy in cordials was Re: SC - Groundhog-Cordial

[Bonne of Traquair]

Being much fonder of brandy than of vodka, I can't imagine why the 
substitution is considered better.  There is talk of vodka being more 
neutral.  In my opinion, it is so neutral that a certain richness of flavor 
is lost in the end product.

When I was a teen, I discovered that vanilla beans in brandy made a much 
better vanilla extract than the stuff in the tiny bottle in the store, and 
in the end not that much more expensive.

Bonne

>In a public offering to a few sites, (Middlebridge, etc)
>Lord Mikal Isernfocar called Ironhawk wrote:
>"...First, the basic ingredient of most home made cordials today is
>commercially available distillates, usually brandy, vodka or gin
>(according to your personal tastes) or possibly pure grain alcohol.  Any
>of these is acceptable as a period substitute since most of our period
>recipes refer to using double or triple distilled brandy."... Then he
>goes on to say, "The recipes offered here are based on 80 proof vodka."
>
>G'day Mike, et al,
>If I may make a comment to this 'I documented Brandy - used Vodka'
>syndrome which is very common in the SCA, in A&S and in general:
>it DOES taste somewhat similar; but it's generally only close, no cigar.
>If you have made the 'recreation of a Period cordial' your intent, it
>falls short of the mark, in that it is wrong, and/or undocumented. As an
>A&S judge, I have had to point that out, from time to time, especially
>when they use that old TI article as documentation. Not that Vodka isn't
>in the general definition of distilled spirits, but Brandy is the spirit
>specified in period documents. Perhaps there is some cultural bias that
>keeps suggesting that substituting relatively modern, undocumented
>distillates in recipes calling for Brandy is desirable, but the
>research and making/testing of Cordials by Mistress Arwenna and the
>Gwyntarian Tunners Guild suggests otherwise. The main point is that
>philosophically, you're pulling a 'bait and switch' of sorts, every time
>you substitute a modern equivalent (and Vodka IS, if only in name) for
>that called for in the Period recipes, when the Period ingredient is
>easily obtained. Also, in the opinion of the Guild, Brandy does a better
>job. (and tastes as 'neutral', especially if you use the Christian Bros
>crystal) Those who have spent their lives drinking Vodka will of course
>swear that it tastes the more neutral, at worst the same, maybe better.
>For me, though, it's the equivalent of making a Rum cake, and throwing
>in Scotch instead, on the above theory. It may very well make a lovely
>cake, (I like Scotch), but it is no longer a Rum cake. (aside from the
>fact that Scotch is documentably Period, and Rum isn't).
>A little off topic, perhaps, but I just hate to see the SCA populace
>think it's All-The-Same. It's not.
>--
>Ian Gourdon of Glen Awe
>- Companion of the order of the Greenwood Company
>http://web.raex.com/~agincort
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