Mirabelle Plum Vodka

Deliciously fruity, tart but not too sweet, this Mirabelle plum vodka is great in cocktails, served over ice with soda water or simply sipped straight.

Recently I was lamenting the lost fig trees of my childhood - oh, how I loved my grandmothers’ trees and their sweet summer fruit! – and the very next day, providence shined upon me, bringing me not figs, but free Mirabelle plums.

I had fixed some snacky food and packed a bottle of cold water in a small cooler so that my husband and I could explore this beautiful island we are blessed to have a home in. We had in mind a public picnic area on the east coast we had spotted last summer.

As we parked the car then gathered out belongings, I noticed that the ground was covered in little round jewels of varying hues from yellow to orange and red. I glanced up and there was a Mirabelle plum tree, covered in extra vines but full of fruit, much of it still green.

I filled a small bag with the bounty, practically giggling with glee. Who doesn’t love some free fruit?

With the first pound of plums, I made a delightful small batch of jam, just two jars. With the balance, I decided to make flavored vodka. 

Mirabelle Plum Vodka

If you don’t have little Mirabelles, you can use another variety of plums but I would recommend cutting them in half or quarters to infuse. I covered the plums plus a little extra with just over a cup of vodka. Depending on the jar you use, you may need a little more or even a little less. 

Ingredients

7 oz or 200g Mirabelle plums

8.45 fl. oz or 250ml vodka

3-4 tablespoons sugar (I used golden caster but everyday sugar will do.)

TIME

Method

Wash and dry the plums, making sure to discard any that are mushy. Put them in a jar with a tight seal then pour in the vodka to cover. 

Store in a cool, dark place for at least four weeks. Or longer, if you have the time. Mine infused for six weeks.  I put it in the window for the photos to make it easier to see the color change in the vodka.

Once your infusion time is up, add three tablespoons of the sugar to a mixing bowl. Strain the plums through a sieve on top of the sugar bowl so the vodka goes into the bowl. 

Gently press the plums just enough to make them split but do not mash them too hard. We don’t want bits in the vodka, just any vodka juice that may be inside the plums to drain out. 

Stir the vodka until the sugar has dissolved then taste it. Add a little more sugar, if desired. I added about half of the final tablespoon, so 3 1/2 tablespoons total.

Decant the Mirabelle plum vodka into a clean, sterilized bottle. My final volume was 11 oz or 325ml.

This makes a most delightfully refreshing drink, tart and not too sweet, to sip straight, or with ice and soda. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 22th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter V. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the V recipes below:

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Cranberry Orange Vinaigrette 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Instagram - Sweet Tea Vodka Vegetable Couscous Soup
• Food Lust People Love: Mirabelle Plum Vodka 
• Blogghetti: Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Salata De Varza Rosie 
• Culinary Cam: Summer Rolls and Nước Chấm, a Ubiquitous Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
• Sneha’s Recipe: Vangi Bath Masala - Homemade
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Vanilla Bean Sable Cookies 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Vaquero Chicken
• A Messy Kitchen: Vichy Carrots  

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream 

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 

G. Extra Herby Gremolata 

H. Smoked Herring Spread 

I.  Fresh Cherry Ice Cream 

J. Small Batch Strawberry Jam 

K. Kiwi Tomato Feta Salad 

L. Lobster Butter 

M. Milk-Roasted Chicken 

N. Nocciolata Swirl Meringues 

O. Jersey Octopus Ceviche 

P. Easy Pastina Soup 

Q. Shrimp and Quail Egg Garden Salad 

R. Celeriac Mash with Scallop Roe Butter 

S. Fresh Scallop Sashimi 

T. Roasted Chicken Thighs with Stuffing 

U. Umeboshi Calamansi Lime Juice

V. Mirabelle Plum Vodka – this post! 

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Chili Plum Sauce

Spicy, sweet and tangy, this chili plum sauce is the perfect combination of all three. It's wonderful with duck, pork or chicken. 

Several years ago, we were discussing our Christmas dinner menu and our elder daughter suggested roast duck, Peking-style. I was intrigued because I don’t think I’d ever roasted a whole duck. (Although once I came close.)

We love pan-fried duck breast so even when I came across a whole duck when we lived in Cairo, I broke it down so I could pan-fry the breasts and confit the legs and thighs. And we adore classic cassoulet. I guess you could say we are duck people. 

And, of course, I’ve eaten roast duck in Chinese restaurants so I knew that the skin had to be shatteringly crispy and that it’s often served with plum sauce, which I usually find too sweet. So while my trial duck dried out, I searched for plum sauce recipes that would suit my palate. Adding chili peppers seemed like a great idea. Unfortunately the original blog I adapted my recipe from is no longer active on the interwebs or I would share the link.

This was in our front room so it got a few second glances from the neighbors as they passed by. 

I’m pleased to tell you that trial duck was fabulous and we did indeed have roast duck for Christmas that year and most years since till 2020 shut us down as a family who could get together. Last year, we just couldn't do the same menu because there was just no way to pretend that things were normal. I have high hopes for 2021.  

Trial bird was a crispy success. Maybe one day I'll post that recipe.

Chili Plum Sauce

This recipe makes a generous 6 2/3 cups or 1575ml of chili plum sauce. Feel free to halve it but when plums are at their peak and a bargain to buy this summer, why not make the whole batch? You can use it in the traditional moo shu pancakes with roasted duck or as a marinade or dipping sauce for pork or chicken. I have also been known to whisk it into a vinaigrette with olive oil and a little extra vinegar, which is lovely on a green salad or over sliced cucumbers. 

Ingredients

2 small red chili peppers

9-10 cloves garlic

4-inch piece fresh ginger

18 plums (Mine weighed about 3 1/2 lbs or 1600g) 

2 cups or 480ml red wine vinegar

1 2/3 cups or 332g sugar

1 1/4 cups or 296ml reduced salt light soy sauce

2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns

Method

Cut the plums in half and remove the stones. Then cut them into small chunks.

Use the tip of a sharp knife to split your chili peppers. Peel and slice the ginger and garlic. 

Add the plums to a heavy bottomed pan and cook for 20 minutes over medium-low heat.

Add the chili peppers, garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and Sichuan peppercorns and bring the mixture to the boil.

Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, cover with a lid and simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until the plums have softened completely.

Carefully blend the hot mixture to a purée in batches in a food processor or straight in the pot with a hand blender.

Strain the purée through a sieve into a bowl. Pour the hot plum sauce into sterilized jars. 

Enjoy with roast duck, chicken or pork! 

Here are our moo shu duck pancakes! Pancake recipe: moo shu pancakes

It's Sunday FunDay again! Our host Karen from Karen's Kitchen Stories invited us to share recipes with chili peppers, a theme that is near and dear to my heart. Many thanks to her for the great theme and her behind-the-scenes work. Check out the other chili-peppery recipes we are sharing below! 

• Chile Pancakes from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Chili Plum Sauce from Food Lust People Love
• Creamy Chicken Tortilla Stew from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Enfrijoladas from Making Miracles
• Homemade Salsa Verde from Sneha's Recipe
• Maharashtrian Green Chilli Thecha from Cook with Renu
• Mirchi Ka Salan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Roasted Monkfish Over Mole Negro from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Spicy Carrot and Broccoli Salad from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Thai Curry Noodles from Palatable Pastime

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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