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40-539: Kirschwasser ( / ˈ k ɪər ʃ v ɑː s ər / , UK also /- v æ s ər / , German: [ˈkɪɐʃvasɐ] ; German for 'cherry water'), or just Kirsch ( German: [kɪʁʃ] ; the term used in Switzerland and France, less so in Germany), is a clear, colourless brandy from Germany, Switzerland, and France, traditionally made from double distillation of morello cherries . It

80-502: A " fruit brandy " or "fruit spirit" or named using the specific fruit, such as "peach brandy", rather than just generically as "brandy". If pomace is the raw material, the beverage may be called " pomace brandy ", "marc brandy", "grape marc", "fruit marc spirit", or "grape marc spirit", "marc" being the pulp residue after the juice has been pressed from the fruit. Grape pomace brandy may be designated as " grappa " or "grappa brandy". Apple brandy may be referred to as "applejack" , although

120-672: A better understanding of the ingredients of chocolate and how sculpting can be used to create amazing chocolate masterpieces. Programs of study at such institutions can include topics like: Once a chocolatier has mastered the artistry of chocolate, they may be considered a Master Chocolatier. The best of these compete in The World Chocolate Masters, a chocolate competition that started in 2005. Leading chocolatiers include Naomi Mizuno (Japan), Francisco Torreblanca (Spain), Pierre Marcolini (Belgium), Yvonnick Le Maux (France), and Carmelo Sciampagna (Italy). Mizuno won

160-558: A brandy factory in Tbilisi , Georgia, a crossroads for Turkish, Central Asian, and Persian trade routes and a part of the Russian Empire at the time. Except for a few major producers, brandy production and consumption tend to have a regional character, and thus production methods significantly vary. Wine brandy is produced from a variety of grape cultivars. A special selection of cultivars, providing distinct aroma and character,

200-405: A chemical instrument was invented that reduced them to a single distillation. A portion was ignited to test the purity of the rectified spirit of wine. The liquor was good if a fire consumed the entire contents without leaving any impurities behind. Another, better test involved putting a little gunpowder in the bottom of the spirit. The liquor was good if the gunpowder could ignite after the spirit

240-422: A chocolatier learn the trade. In order to become a chocolatier, a person must first of all learn how to make chocolate. With increasing levels of difficulty, they learn the working techniques for creating handmade works of art, which above all have to taste good. Training usually begins with how to make chocolate from a variety of ingredients. Once trainees have learned how to make chocolate and begin to understand

280-456: A minimum of 37.5% ABV (75 proof) for products of this kind; kirschwasser typically has an alcohol content of 40%–50% ABV (80–100 proof). About 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of cherries go into the making of a 750  ml bottle of kirschwasser . One French variety, Kirsch de Fougerolles , and two Swiss varieties, Zuger Kirsch and Rigi Kirsch , have been certified as appellation d'origine protégée (AOP). Compared with brandy or whisky,

320-418: A more intense flavour in some soups, notably onion soup. In English Christmas cooking, brandy is a common flavouring in traditional foods such as Christmas cake , brandy butter , and Christmas pudding . It is also commonly used in drinks such as mulled wine and eggnog , drunk during the festive season. Brandy is used to flambé dishes such as crêpe Suzette and cherries jubilee while serving. Brandy

360-406: Is a liquor produced by distilling wine . Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof ) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif . Some brandies are aged in wooden casks . Others are coloured with caramel colouring to imitate the effect of aging, and some are produced using a combination of aging and colouring. Varieties of wine brandy can be found across

400-602: Is also sometimes used in Swiss fondue and the dessert, cherries jubilee . Kirsch can also be used as a filling of chocolates . A typical kirsch chocolate consists of no more than one milliliter of kirsch, surrounded by milk or (more usually) dark chocolate with a film of hard sugar between the two parts, which acts as an impermeable casing for the liquid content and compensates for the lack of sweetness typical of kirsch . Manufacturers include Swiss chocolatiers Lindt & Sprüngli and Camille Bloch . Brandy Brandy

440-537: Is believed to have originated there. Kirschwasser is colourless because it is either not aged in wood or was aged in barrels made of ash . It may have been aged in paraffin-lined wood barrels or earthenware vessels. Rivals in producing high quality " Kirsch " is Switzerland and Alsace ; the latter even has a kirschwasser route, and other quality cherry-production, German-speaking areas like South Tyrolia. In France and English-speaking countries, clear fruit brandies are known as eau de vie . The European Union sets

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480-423: Is now also made from other kinds of cherries. The cherries are fermented completely, including their stones. Unlike cherry liqueurs and cherry brandies , Kirschwasser is not sweet. It is sometimes distilled from fermented cherry juice . Kirschwasser is usually drunk neat . It is traditionally served cold in a very small glass and is taken as an apéritif . It is an important ingredient in fondue . People in

520-498: Is now common for chocolatiers to start out as pastry or confectionery chefs, or attend culinary training specifically for working with chocolate. Being a master chocolatier involves perfecting the art of working with chocolate to create desserts as well as skillfully creating pieces of art with chocolate. Chocolatiers must understand the physical and chemical aspects of chocolate, to not only create chocolates and other confections, but also to create sculptures and centrepieces. Perfecting

560-482: Is traditionally poured over a Christmas pudding and set alight before serving. The use of flambé can retain as much as 75% of the alcohol in the brandy. In the 19th century, brandy was often used as medical treatment due to its alleged "stimulating" qualities. It was also used by many European explorers of tropical Africa, who suggested that regular, moderate doses of brandy might help a traveller to cope with fever, depression, and stress. These views fell out of favour in

600-457: Is used for high-quality brandies, while cheaper ones are made from whichever wine is available. Brandy is made from so-called base wine , which significantly differs from regular table wines. It is made from early grapes to achieve higher acid concentration and lower sugar levels. Base wine generally contains smaller amounts (up to 20 mg/L) of sulphur than regular wines, as it creates undesired copper(II) sulfate in reaction with copper in

640-401: The pot stills . The yeast sediment produced during the fermentation may or may not be kept in the wine, depending on the brandy style. Brandy is distilled from the base wine in two phases. First, a large part of water and solids is removed from the base, obtaining so-called "low wine", a concentrated wine with 28–30% ABV. In the second stage, low wine is distilled into brandy. The liquid exits

680-460: The African side of the trade were generally paid in brandy. By the late 17th century, the cheaper rum had replaced brandy as the exchange alcohol of choice in the triangle trade. Initially, wine was distilled as a preservation method and to make it easier for merchants to transport. It is also thought that wine was originally distilled to lessen the tax, which was assessed by volume. The intent

720-702: The English term "brandy", but outside the German-speaking countries , it is particularly used to designate brandy from Austria and Germany . Brandy has a traditional age grading system, although its use is unregulated outside of Cognac and Armagnac . These indicators can usually be found on the label near the brand name: In the case of Brandy de Jerez , the Consejo Regulador de la Denominacion Brandy de Jerez classifies it according to: Russian brandy (traditionally called "Cognac" within

760-698: The German-speaking region where it originated usually serve it after dinner, as a digestif . Kirschwasser is used in some cocktails , such as the Ladyfinger , the Florida , and the Rose . High-quality kirschwasser should be served around 16 °C (61 °F), warmed by the hands as with brandy . Because morellos were originally grown in the Black Forest regions of Germany, kirschwasser

800-452: The appearance of barrel ageing. Brandy is traditionally served at room temperature ( neat ) from a snifter , a wine glass or a tulip glass . When consumned at room temperature, it is often slightly warmed by holding the glass cupped in the palm or by gentle heating. Excessive heating of brandy may cause the alcohol vapour to become too strong, causing its aroma to become overpowering. Brandy-drinkers who like their brandy warmed may ask for

840-503: The characteristic features of kirsch are that it contains relatively large quantities of higher alcohols and compound ethers, and the presence in this spirit of small quantities of hydrogen cyanide , partly as such and partly in combination as benzaldehyde -cyanohydrin, to which the distinctive flavour of kirsch is largely due. Kirsch is used in some cakes, notably traditional German Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte ( Black Forest gateau ), Gugelhupf and Zuger Kirschtorte . It

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880-466: The country), as well as brandies from many other post-Soviet states, uses the traditional Russian grading system that is similar to the French one, but extends it significantly: Chocolatiers In the food industry , it is mostly food technologists or food technology engineers (FH) who deal with the development and further development of chocolate products in large, well-known chocolate brands. For

920-464: The development of distillation . While the process was known in classical times, it was not significantly used for beverage production until the 15th century. In the early 16th-century French brandy helped kickstart the cross-Atlantic triangle trade when it took over the central role of the Portuguese fortified wine due to its higher alcohol content and ease of shipping. Canoemen and guards on

960-736: The glass to be heated before the brandy is poured. Brandy may be added to other beverages to make several popular cocktails ; these include the Brandy Sour , the Brandy Alexander , the Sidecar , the Brandy Daisy , and the Brandy Old Fashioned . Anglo-Indian usage has "brandy-pawnee" (brandy with water). Brandy is a common deglazing liquid used in making pan sauces for steak and other meat. It creates

1000-673: The industrial production of chocolate and chocolate products, a three-year training course has been set up in Germany to train people as specialists in confectionery technology. The Central Technical School of the German Confectionery Industry (ZDS) in Solingen offers further education and training. Traditionally, chocolatiers, especially in Europe, are trained through an apprenticeship with other chocolatiers. It

1040-494: The late nineteenth and early twentieth century, with suggestions that people were using brandy's "medical" qualities as an excuse for social drinking. The term brandy is a shortening of the archaic English brandewine or brandywine , which was derived from the Dutch word brandewijn , itself derived from gebrande wijn , which literally means "burned wine" and whose cognates include brännvin and brennivín . In Germany,

1080-411: The physical and chemical aspects of chocolate, they can work with chocolate in many different applications. Since chocolate is a versatile food, various courses offer knowledge about different techniques for processing chocolate. Only when you are well trained in all uses of chocolate or have specialized in a specific application are you considered a chocolatier. Continuing education and courses can lead to

1120-414: The pot still in three phases, referred to as the "heads", "heart", and "tails", respectively. The first part, the "head", has an alcohol concentration of about 83% (166 US proof) and an unpleasant odour. The weak portion on the end, the "tail", is discarded along with the head, and they are generally mixed with another batch of low wine, thereby entering the distillation cycle again. The middle heart fraction,

1160-520: The process of jacking which was originally used in its production involved no distillation. There is also a product called "grain brandy" that is made from grain spirits. Within particular jurisdictions, specific regulatory requirements regarding the labelling of products identified as brandy exist. For example: Within the European Union, the German term Weinbrand is legally equivalent to

1200-402: The richest in aromas and flavours, is preserved for later maturation. Distillation does not simply enhance the alcohol content of wine. The heat under which the product is distilled and the material of the still (usually copper) cause chemical reactions during distillation. This leads to the formation of numerous new volatile aroma components, changes in relative amounts of aroma components in

1240-448: The still. As a result, the distillate taste was often quite unlike the sources. As described in the 1728 edition of Cyclopaedia , the following method was used to distill brandy: A cucurbit was filled half full of the liquor from which brandy was to be drawn and then raised with a little fire until about one-sixth part was distilled, or until that which falls into the receiver was entirely flammable. This liquor, distilled only once,

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1280-579: The technical aspects of design and developing the art of flavor takes many years of practice. There are a variety of culinary schools and specialty chocolate schools, including the Ecole Chocolat Professional School of Chocolate Arts in Canada, and The Chocolate Academy by Callebaut , with over 20 different schools around the world. The French Culinary Institute offers pastry and confectionery courses that are said to help

1320-408: The term Branntwein refers to any distilled spirits, while Weinbrand refers specifically to distilled wine from grapes. In the general colloquial usage of the term, brandy may also be made from pomace and from fermented fruit other than grapes. If a beverage comes from a particular fruit (or multiple fruits) other than exclusively grapes, or from the must of such fruit, it may be referred to as

1360-533: The unaged brandy is placed into oak barrels to mature. Usually, brandies with a natural golden or brown colour are aged in oak casks (single-barrel ageing). Some brandies, particularly those from Spain, are aged using the solera system, where the producer changes the barrel each year. After a period of ageing, which depends on the style, class and legal requirements, the mature brandy is mixed with distilled water to reduce alcohol concentration and bottled. Some brandies have caramel colour and sugar added to simulate

1400-570: The wine, and the hydrolysis of components such as esters. Brandy is usually produced in pot stills ( batch distillation ), but the column still can also be used for continuous distillation . The distillate obtained in this manner has a higher alcohol concentration (approximately 90% ABV) and is less aromatic. The choice of the apparatus depends on the style of brandy produced. Cognac and South African brandy are examples of brandy produced in batches while many American brandies use fractional distillation in column stills. After distillation,

1440-466: The winemaking world. Among the most renowned are Cognac and Armagnac from south-western France . In a broader sense, the term brandy also denotes liquors obtained from the distillation of pomace (yielding pomace brandy ), or mash or wine of any other fruit ( fruit brandy ). These products are also called eau de vie (literally "water of life" in French ). The origins of brandy are tied to

1480-449: Was called the spirit of wine or brandy . Purified by another distillation (or several more), this was called spirit of wine rectified . The second distillation was made in [a] balneo mariae and in a glass cucurbit, and the liquor was distilled to about one-half the quantity. This was further rectified as long as the operator thought it necessary to produce brandy. To shorten these several distillations, which were long and troublesome,

1520-430: Was consumed by fire. (Hence the modern " proof " to describe alcohol content.) As most brandies have been distilled from grapes, the regions of the world producing excellent brandies have roughly paralleled those areas producing grapes for viniculture. At the end of the 19th century, the western European markets, including by extension their overseas empires, were dominated by French and Spanish brandies and eastern Europe

1560-887: Was dominated by brandies from the Black Sea region , including Bulgaria , the Crimea , Georgia and Armenia . In 1877, the Ararat brandy brand was established in Yerevan , Armenia. It became one of the top brandy brands over time and during the Yalta Conference , Winston Churchill was so impressed with the Armenian brandy Dvin given to him by Joseph Stalin that he asked for several cases of it to be sent to him each year. Reportedly 400 bottles of Dvin were shipped to Churchill annually. In 1884, David Sarajishvili founded

1600-493: Was to add the water removed by distillation back to the brandy shortly before consumption. It was discovered that after being stored in wooden casks , the resulting product improved over the original distilled spirit. In addition to removing water, the distillation process led to the formation and decomposition of numerous aromatic compounds, fundamentally altering the distillate composition from its source. Non-volatile substances such as pigments, sugars, and salts remained behind in

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