Framboise, the Eau de Vie and the Liqueur

A colorless brandy distilled from raspberries, framboise eau de vie is highly aromatic and has a crisp bite with a dry finish. According to the Alchemist, it's best enjoyed undiluted as a slightly chilled digestif.

The framboise liqueur is a syrupy, violet-colored cordial used to make summer cocktails like the Leave It to Me and Kir Royal. For those of you on a tight budget, you may be able to find a cheaper, nonalcoholic raspberry syrup, also called framboise, in fine food stores.

Like other cordials, framboise adds a distinctive flavor to a drink, and if overindulged in, is said to act as a mild aphrodisiac, a cure-all, or a catalyst for one hell of a hangover.