Going Hungary

I found these glasses at a thrift store.  I originally was excited about the coloring thinking it looked like the Italian flag so I could make something Italian inspired.  When I got them home I realized the colors were going the wrong way and it more accurately represented the Hungarian Flag than the Italian Flag.  Not knowing too much about Hungarian flavors, I scanned my liquor store for something from the region and ended up with a Plum Brandy.  Not going to lie, it’s harsher than I expected.  I then decided I needed to do more research to find some actual Hungarian flavors I could mix with this brandy and take away a little bit of the edge.  I soon found a recipe for Meggyleves, a traditional sour cherry soup that looked incredibly delightful and I thought its ingredients would work super well with the brandy and highlight Hungary.  Following a similar recipe to my Top Of The Fair blueberry sauce, I made a tart cherry juice from frozen sour cherries, cinnamon, lemon peel and cloves.  Once I had this tasty juice made I ended up doing a few tests with the plum brandy and found that some sweet vermouth turned out to be the perfect compliment for this drink.  It’s a tart and fun cocktail with some warm fall notes and, as a bonus, it looks super pretty in these floral glasses.  So this fall, turn on Radiooooo, put on 1980s Hungary, and shake up a few of these delightful drinks!