The Hirshon Provençal Vin D’Orange

Citizens, vin d’orange is a delicious Provençal aperitif that will become a wonderful new drink to serve before dinner to your honored guests!

Vin d’orange is traditionally made from bitter oranges and dry white or French-style rosé wine. Bitter oranges can be hard to locate, so this version calls for more readily available navel oranges plus grapefruit.

This recipe is a cinch to prepare with relatively few ingredients! Infused with winter citrus fruits, vin d’orange reaches its prime in spring or summer — and that’s when you’ll thank yourself for having such foresight. (It’s also when you’ll lament that you didn’t put up more!)

The result is a wine that’s pleasantly bittersweet—delicious on its own over ice, or mixed with a little sparkling water. My version uses Grand Marnier for extra orange flavor (most recipes just use brandy) and an eccentric but delicious hint of that other glory of Provençe, rosemary! This would be a fitting end (or beginning!) to a Provençal feast including that delicious and iconic regional feast of the ‘grand aioli‘!

The Hirshon Provençal Vin D’Orange

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 large organic navel oranges (preferably Cara Cara)
• 1 small organic grapefruit (preferably white)
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) vodka
• 1/2 cup (60 ml) Grand Marnier
• 1 bottle (750 ml, or 3 1/4 cups) dry rosé wine
• 1 sprig organic Rosemary

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Instructions

1. Rinse and dry the oranges and grapefruit. Trim and discard the stem ends. Cut each orange into ¼ -inch-thick (6 mm) rounds. Cut the grapefruit in half and then cut each half into ¼ -inch-thick (6 mm) half-circles.
2. Combine the oranges, grapefruit, vanilla, and sugar in a sterilized quart (1 L) jar. Pour the vodka, Grand Marnier, and wine into the jar and push the fruit down with a wooden spoon to submerge it as much as possible (it will insist on floating up).
3. Add the Rosemary sprig and cover the jar tightly.
4. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for 1 month, shaking it daily to moisten the floating pieces of fruit with the alcohol mixture.
5. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids. Bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
6. Age for at least 1 month before drinking: the Vin d’Orange will continue to improve with age.
7. Serve chilled.

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