We started with Rittenhouse Rye and raisins. We put them in an old applesauce jar and buried them in the pantry. Every once in a while, we would find them and shake the contents. After a long 6 months, we tasted the marriage. The sweet, concentrated raisins filled in the Rye and rounded out the edges. The result is delicious and full-bodied, with a little sweetness and spice, and a lingering finish. The raisins have blossomed into something special as well. They have a snap to them that wasn’t there before. They are extremely boozy, candy-sweet with a little fire on the tongue.
We have not found a home for them yet. Ice cream and bread are quick answers. Rye-Baba came to mind. Adding them to caramel sauce would be delightful. Braise them with lamb or fold them into chutney. Re-soaking them in fish sauce for another six months could leave us with something even more interesting, but a lot of patience would be required. A quick flambe with brown sugar and lemon spooned over vanilla ice cream could be the simplest solution of them all.
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