601602 Fri Mar 06 07:35:51 -0800 2009 28 36 Spirits 0 4479140 Any suggestions on what I can use in a cocktail in place of lillet blanc? Fri Mar 06 07:35:51 -0800 2009 110618 joshuaresnick 1 4479240 There's nothing really similar to LIllet Blanc, I would suggest you just buy a bottle and then you'll have some for the future as well as making your current cocktail properly. Fri Mar 06 08:07:41 -0800 2009 4479140 228878 Steve_K 1 4480088 Don't be afraid to wander afield with aromatized wines in cocktails: the possibilities can be very interesting. Dry/sec/French vermouth or the sweeter blanc/bianco style of vermouth are both good substitutes for Lillet Blanc in cocktails, as is Dubonnet Blanc. Dolin makes an interesting dry as well as a blanc vermouth; I'm very fond of Vya Extra Dry as well. I'm still awaiting the arrival of the new/old formulation of Noilly Prat Dry. I've also used dry fortified white wines like white port and fino and manzanilla sherries, though they lack the botannical interest of a Lillet. Also consider using an unfortified dry white wine and then adding either a) dashes of a light-colored herbal liqueur like Yellow or Green Chartreuse, Benedictine or Becherovka; or b) a few drops of a non-potable bitters like Angostura, Angostura Orange, Peychaud's, the Fee Brothers line of bitters, and Regan's Orange #6. The world is your oyster! http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Fri Mar 06 11:44:26 -0800 2009 4479140 10143 MC Slim JB 2 4481959 +1 Although, out of curiosity, why don't you want to use Lillet Blanc? Sat Mar 07 06:27:48 -0800 2009 4480088 261382 mrgrotto 3 4482262 If you're asking me instead of the OP: I love Lillet Blanc, always keep a bottle around; we drink a lot of it as an apertif. I was just responding to the request for what might be used as a substitute. I'll guess that the OP has trouble finding it in his neighborhood. http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Sat Mar 07 09:06:35 -0800 2009 4481959 10143 MC Slim JB 4 4482465 Sorry. That was a +1 for you and a question for joshuaresnick. Sat Mar 07 10:33:39 -0800 2009 4482262 261382 mrgrotto 3 4487031 I don't use Lillet because it is not kosher. Mon Mar 09 08:51:50 -0700 2009 4481959 110618 joshuaresnick 4 4487336 Check. Have you looked around online for recipes to make your own? I poked around for a minute and didn't see anything promising but there's probably a few approximations somewhere. Mon Mar 09 10:08:53 -0700 2009 4487031 261382 mrgrotto 4 4491019 This is a question I hadn't considered before. Do you have a list you've compiled of kosher beer, wine, and spirits? Seems like that would be useful to make public. The first thing Google pointed me to was this: http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1399764 http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Tue Mar 10 10:03:02 -0700 2009 4487031 10143 MC Slim JB 5 4491077 You don't need a list, you just need to keep one rule in mind: Alcoholic beverages are considered kosher, without rabbinic certification, as long as they do not contain grapes. Products containing grapes require rabbinic certification. Tue Mar 10 10:16:37 -0700 2009 4491019 110618 joshuaresnick 6 4497306 wouldn't any Vermouth contain grapes then, since it is a wine? Thu Mar 12 07:18:15 -0700 2009 4491077 60603 TroyTempest 7 4501912 Yes, that is why Vermouth requires rabbinic certification to be considered kosher. Fri Mar 13 11:44:37 -0700 2009 4497306 110618 joshuaresnick 6 4514228 why would grapes or a grape product require certification? Tue Mar 17 15:12:02 -0700 2009 4491077 135229 thew 7 4516081 That's a more complicated discussion than I'm willing to get into on chowhound. google it. Wed Mar 18 08:23:41 -0700 2009 4514228 110618 joshuaresnick 4 4502191 There was a discussion on kosher vermouth last year at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/356617 Seems like there are several available in Israel, the trick is finding them here in the States. Fri Mar 13 12:59:26 -0700 2009 4487031 14386 BobB 5 4504675 Could be a fun DIY project to make your own... Sat Mar 14 12:35:22 -0700 2009 4502191 65478 davis_sq_pro 1 4482568 not sure what sort of cocktail you have in mind, but you might consider St Germain (in reduced quantities since it's sweeter)...another option might be Belle de Brillet with a drop of Canton Ginger Sat Mar 07 11:28:55 -0800 2009 4479140 13161 barleywino 2 4483802 A pineau des charentes works well in Lillet's stead. Or a Cinzano Bianco vermouth--slightly sweet and aromatic. Sat Mar 07 23:02:06 -0800 2009 4482568 249467 bob96 2 4509205 I have not tried belle de brillet with or without Canton, but St Germain is way too sweet, even in lesser qualities. It's more of a floral lychee liqueur in taste than anything approximating vermouth or lillet. Mon Mar 16 09:26:07 -0700 2009 4482568 124704 Icantread 3 4510768 i totally agree with your description of St Germain but (depending on what cocktail the OP is thinking of) it may still work as a substitute for Lillet; the results may be different, but still good (or better perhaps). Unfortunately since all of these contain grapes, they would not suit the OP's needs. How about some sherry-like sake, such as Seiryo Kijoshu? Mon Mar 16 16:11:34 -0700 2009 4509205 13161 barleywino 4 4512850 oh I would agree that it would make for a tasty cocktail. St Germain is a great cordial in its own right. Tue Mar 17 09:18:27 -0700 2009 4510768 124704 Icantread 4 4513857 As the OP...you mentioned sherry-like sake as a potential sub. Do you think fino sherry would do? Is that too dry? Tue Mar 17 13:21:11 -0700 2009 4510768 110618 joshuaresnick 5 4514497 I would think of Seiryo Kijoshu as more like an oloroso sherry. Fino is drier than Lillet imo. Also sherries are grape based, so would not work for you, right? PS if you are looking for something a bit drier (and probably closer to Lillet) than Seiryo Kijoshu, you might consider Gekkakow vintage sake. although i would have mixed feelings about putting such premium sakes into a cocktail! Tue Mar 17 16:45:16 -0700 2009 4513857 13161 barleywino 6 4515412 PS. it's like adding foie gras to a burger: great for the burger, not so great for the foie Wed Mar 18 00:16:46 -0700 2009 4514497 13161 barleywino 6 4516077 To clarify, kosher grape products do exist, but they are harder to find. For instance, I can get kosher fino sherry, but I can't get kosher vermouth, so I only make fino martinis. Wed Mar 18 08:23:14 -0700 2009 4514497 110618 joshuaresnick 7 4516586 The thread I referenced above indicates that Kedem makes kosher vermouth for sale in the US. Wed Mar 18 10:41:21 -0700 2009 4516077 14386 BobB 8 4519507 Yes, but it's gross. Thu Mar 19 11:02:39 -0700 2009 4516586 110618 joshuaresnick 9 4559556 LOL. Joshua, you seem like a good candidate for making your own brand of vermouth! It seems like there would be a strong market for kosher, non-gross vermouth. Wed Apr 01 19:18:45 -0700 2009 4519507 159754 ed1066 1 4589916 Would anyone have ideas for food to serve with Lillet Blanc? Sun Apr 12 16:25:31 -0700 2009 4479140 282233 katevali