liqueur = cordial    Pronunciation:  lih-CURR OR lih-CURE OR lee-CURR   Notes:   Liqueurs are mixtures of spirits, sweeteners, and flavorings like herbs, fruits, nuts, and flowers.  They're sometimes served as after-dinner drinks, but they're more often poured on desserts or mixed into cocktails, milk, or coffee.  Some cooks buy miniature bottles of liqueurs to conserve on money and cabinet space.    Substitutes:  fruit syrups OR Boil the juice that canned fruit comes in until it's reduced to a thick syrup. OR Bourbon OR rum OR Marsala OR vanilla extract (1 teaspoon extract = 1 tablespoon liqueur)

Varieties:

anise liqueurs

bitter liqueurs

chocolate liqueurs

crème liqueurs = crèmes    Pronunciation:   KREM   Notes:   Despite the name, crème liqueurs contain no cream.  Instead, they're liqueurs that have been heavily sweetened and have a thick, syrupy consistency.   Don't confuse them with Irish cream liqueurs, which really are made with cream.

fruit liqueurs

herbal liqueurs

miscellaneous liqueurs

nut liqueurs

schnapps = schnaps   Pronunciation:   SHNAPS   Notes:   In the United States, schnapps are flavored liqueurs based on neutral spirits.  The flavorings vary widely, and include peppermint schnapps, root beer schnapps, peach schnapps, and cinnamon schnapps.  These flavored schnapps can be sweet or dry, but most are sweeter and lighter than a typical liqueur.   In Germany and Scandinavia, schnapps refers to any spirit that's dry and potent, like kirsch and aquavit.  

 

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Copyright © 1996-2005  Lori Alden