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Vyssinada
Vyssináda: chilled sour cherry cordial drink, the old Greek café summer cooler
Before fizzy drinks arrived, a tall glass of vyssinada was what you ordered in a Volos or Larissa kafeneio on an August afternoon: sour cherry syrup topped with iced water, sweet and sharp and bright red. Families in Thessaly still make a cordial from the summer cherry crop and keep the bottles in the fridge for weeks. Common mistake: squashing the cherries too hard through the sieve, which clouds the syrup — let the juice drip. Chef's tip: top with sparkling water and a squeeze of lemon for a lighter, livelier glass.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the cordial
To serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Simmer 1 ⅔ lb sour cherries (morello) with 1 ¾ cups water over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft and the liquid is deep red.
10 minStep 2: Pour into a sieve lined with muslin set over a bowl and let the juice drip through for 30 minutes, pressing very lightly at the end.
30 minStep 3: Return the juice to the pan with 1 ⅛ lb granulated sugar and stir over a medium heat until dissolved, then boil for 5 minutes, skimming, until slightly syrupy. Stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice.
7 minStep 4: Bottle in clean, sterilised bottles and keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.
Step 5: To serve, pour about 4 tablespoons of cordial into each glass over 12 ice cubes and top with 8 ¼ cups iced still or sparkling water, adjusting to taste.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vyssinada take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of granulated sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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