Family ’Beena

Season: Pretty much all year round. I’d like to introduce you to a group of cordials with a name inspired by a British fruit juice beverage called Ribena. These can be prepared throughout the year and are an excellent way of using fruit that’s too ripe for jam making. I’ve made rhubeena with rhubarb, berrybeena with summer berries, plumbeena with plums–and currants work very well too. Use these fruits alone to make single-variety ’beenas or, for a lighter and more economical cordial, use 50 percent cooking apples. Because the fruit pulp will be strained, you needn’t be too fastidious with its preparation. Rhubarb should be cut into chunks. Strawberries should be hulled. Plums are best halved, but it’s not necessary to remove the pits. Apples should be stemmed and coarsely chopped, but there’s no need to peel or core them.