Alcohol Question

So I've got a question I'm hoping someone here can help me with. I'm baking a cake that asks for a 1/3 cup of raspberry-flavored liqueur, but I don't know where to find some. I've tried the local supermarket, and they had a couple of berry-flavored wines (just strawberry and blackberry, though). Is that what I want, or is there something more specific for cooking purposes? I haven't looked in any of the nearby liquor stores yet, and they might have more selection. I guess I just feel out of my depth shopping for alcohol, with no real past experience.

Also, how well does this stuff keep? We've decided to make this cake an annual tradition, and I don't have a clue what to do with the rest of a bottle of raspberry liqueur except hang onto it for the next year. Will that work? Other recommendations?

Ajax

You'll find what you seek at a liquor store, ajax. I use Chambord Liqueur Royale De France. Excellent stuff and it keeps very well. I always keep a bottle handy for when my sister visits around the Christmas holidays, she loves it. The flavored wine probably wouldn't be sweet enough nor have the right viscosity and could mess up your recipe.

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Originally Posted by Hosakawa Tito

You'll find what you seek at a liquor store, ajax. I use Chambord Liqueur Royale De France. Excellent stuff and it keeps very well. I always keep a bottle handy for when my sister visits around the Christmas holidays, she loves it. The flavored wine probably wouldn't be sweet enough nor have the right viscosity and could mess up your recipe.

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Since you live in Utah, I highly doubt you can buy any type of liquor a grocery store. As HT said, you either need to go to a liquor store or some sort of state owned store. You may even be in a dry county. I would google this.

Yeah, all you can find in Utah grocery stores is beer. The state has a monopoly on harder drinks, so you need to go to a state liquor store. However, I'm in Indiana now, taking classes at Purdue, so the situation's more like the rest of the country. And thanks, HT. That looks like exactly what I need. I'll stop by a liquor store later this week, and hopefully they'll have it on hand.

Ajax

I would think that just about any liquor store in a college town would have Chambord. It's a very popular liqueur.

Opps... I didn't see you were in Indiana.

And by the way, I'm fairly sure liqueur keeps indefinitely. Unlike wines, liqueur is very alcoholic, so none of its ingredients should spoil.

Edit -- just found this:

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Originally Posted by About.com

Liqueurs and Cordials:
The shelf lives of liqueurs are more temperamental than the base spirits because they contain sugar and other ingredients which can spoil, some more than others. Most opened (and well sealed) liqueurs should last for months and even years depending on their alcohol content and preservatives. Again, opened bottles are likely to lose some of their characteristics due to exposure to air. Once you begin to see any sugar crystallizing on the bottom, discoloration, curdling or other changes you will want to throw that bottle away or at least give it a taste test before mixing with it.

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So, it might be all right, but I would stick to the smallest bottle you can get in case it doesn't age well.

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Originally Posted by Ice

Since you live in Utah, I highly doubt you can buy any type of liquor a grocery store. As HT said, you either need to go to a liquor store or some sort of state owned store. You may even be in a dry county. I would google this.

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That's madness! :skull::no:

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Originally Posted by Moros

That's madness! :skull::no:

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That's nothing. In Pennsylvania you can't buy any alcohol at a grocery store.

-To buy six packs you need to go to a bottle shop.
-To buy cases you need to go to a beer distributor.
-To buy liquor you need to go to a state store.

Great system, huh?

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Originally Posted by Ice

That's nothing. In Pennsylvania you can't buy any alcohol at a grocery store.

-To buy six packs you need to go to a bottle shop.
-To buy cases you need to go to a beer distributor.
-To buy liquor you need to go to a state store.

Great system, huh?

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But why?

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Originally Posted by Moros

But why?

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because the gadum govment thinks ole gran pappy Joe should pay duty on his moonshine

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Originally Posted by Moros

But why?

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It's Pennsylvania, they don't need a reason. ~D

PA is a weird state.

Try Bar Berry Liquors on Northwestern. They always had a pretty good variety of stuff.

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Originally Posted by Ice

That's nothing. In Pennsylvania you can't buy any alcohol at a grocery store.

-To buy six packs you need to go to a bottle shop.
-To buy cases you need to go to a beer distributor.
-To buy liquor you need to go to a state store.

Great system, huh?

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Originally Posted by drone

It's Pennsylvania, they don't need a reason. ~D

PA is a weird state.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Moros

But why?

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I blame George Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion.

conneticut has "package stores as well.

you know what i blame it on?

the governments incessant desire for more money.

In virginia the ABC store (What they call it) closes at 9 o'clock. So if you want to drink that night you gotta plan beforehand, who does that?

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Originally Posted by Mooks

In virginia the ABC store (What they call it) closes at 9 o'clock. So if you want to drink that night you gotta plan beforehand, who does that?

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That's only for distilled booze, you can still buy beer and wine at the grocery stores.

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Originally Posted by Ice

That's nothing. In Pennsylvania you can't buy any alcohol at a grocery store.

-To buy six packs you need to go to a bottle shop.
-To buy cases you need to go to a beer distributor.
-To buy liquor you need to go to a state store.

Great system, huh?

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And in Canada about the only place you can get anything with alcohol in it is from the crown corporation your province set up to sell it. However 90% of the big grocery store chains have a liquor store attached to it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ice

That's nothing. In Pennsylvania you can't buy any alcohol at a grocery store.

-To buy six packs you need to go to a bottle shop.
-To buy cases you need to go to a beer distributor.
-To buy liquor you need to go to a state store.

Great system, huh?

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That's even worse than Washington! At least we can buy all the beer and wine we want at grocery stores. And there's an initiative to privitise liquor sales this year. I very much hope it passes.

Most of these laws are remenants of prohibition. Because booze was banned, the mob got into selling booze. So after prohibition ended, the government decided they still needed laws to keep the mob out. Mor laws to fix the problems caused by the original laws.

CR

Well, here's what I ended up getting:
https://i336.photobucket.com/albums/...h/Chambord.jpg

And here's the end result:
https://i336.photobucket.com/albums/...etish/Cake.jpg

Thanks to Hosakawa Tito for the recommendation. The cake was excellent.

Ajax

Damn that looks good.

Holy Sugar Coma, Ajax...you can bake me a cake anytime. Nice job!

That looks tasty!

Where do you live, exactly? I'm coming over for a slice of that.