[Sca-cooks] Unusual Liqueur... (was Procrastinating while the caffeine kicks in...)

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

From: Gorgeous Muiredach <muiredach at bmee.net>
>  >who wants to buy a couple unusual liqueurs, Parfait Amour (rose and
>  >spice) and Creme Yvette or Creme de Violet but can't find any
>  >nearby...
>
>Unusual?  Ok, how about absinthe?  Yep, the drink that made a few famous
>painters and poet crazy.  It's actually pretty good, just don't abuse the
>stuff :-)  I was rather satisfied with the customer service at:
>
>http://www.laboheme.uk.com/absinthe.htm

Thanks for the suggestion, but i have a number of Goths (no, not
Visi- or Ostro-) among my friends, so i can get somebody's homemade
absinthe if i wanted it or even make it myself - i have sources for
wormwood.

As for the aforementioned liqueurs, I spent HOURS searching the web
last night for them. They are mentioned on so many of the "alcoholic
drink recipe" websites, but few if any give resources for the more
unusual ingredients.

Finally i found that several major alcohol corporations make Parfait
Amour (aka Parfait d'Amour, which doesn't make as much sense, since
"Parfait Amour" means "perfect love", ahhh, aaww), such as
DeKuyper's, Marie Brizzard, and Bols. Besides roses and spices, it
also includes bitter orange and vanilla, so i suppose i could
experiment with making a "Parfait Amour"-like "cordial" myself,
although it would be nice to experience what the commercial product
tastes like so i could gauge my own. I'm sure mine would be "cleaner"
as i wouldn't use artificial flavors, but it would take some work to
match the exquisite periwinkle/lavender color.

I got a hint that one American company makes or used to make Creme
Yvette (or Creme d'Yvette), but that it may no longer be available.
And i found two European sources of  some kind of violet liqueur, one
in the UK and one in France, but, sheesh, i'd rather not order from
so far away...

Still, given that i live in what is reputed to be a sophisticated and
cosmopolitan area (San Francisco Bay Area), i hope to find some
around here...

I want them not only because the flower and spice flavors sound
intriguing, but because all THREE are shades of purple :-)

I also found very few bar recipes using any of them and most of those
were "pousse cafe'" type drinks, in which the various alcohols, and
sometimes cream and/or a fruit syrup like grenadine, are layered in a
tall clear glass based on specific gravity, each floating on the one
beneath, making a beautiful layered drink - although the taste might
be a bit cloying.

Still, it sounds like such an aesthetic affectation, and it would be
lovely to have drinks that match my mundane clothing (i don't wear
purple of any sort in the SCA, but rather mostly indigo, madder, and
kermes as befits a Near Easterner).

Anahita
not a teetotaler, i just rarely drink alcohol, but i find liqueurs
are good with fruits or ice creams