Name for the black currant (in Austria called "schwarze Ribisel"), or essence produced from it (thick syrup). According to the taxonomic system, the plant belongs to the subclass Rosidae (rose plants), as does the grapevine. The berries contain terpenes with spicy, finely acidic aromas as well as very high levels of vitamin C. In the context of a wine address, "cassis" is often also used to describe the aroma of a red wine, especially typical of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety. A flower bud extract obtained from blackcurrants is used in the perfumery industry. In Germany, blackcurrants are often used to produce a spirit known as "Aufgesetzter". In this process, the fruits are "put on" with various herbs, sugar and ethyl alcohol in a sealed container. The brandy dissolves the aromatic substances from the fruits and herbs. At the beginning, the vessels are shaken every few days to accelerate the extraction.
A French speciality called "Crème de Cassis" is also produced in a similar way. This dark red liqueur was invented around 1840. The berries are macerated in a mixture of water and alcohol for up to two months. Sugar is added to balance the acidity. The final step is barrel ageing. The minimum sugar content, expressed as invert sugar, is 400 g/l, the minimum alcohol content is 15% vol. Dijon in Burgundy is considered the metropolis of production, with around 80 producers in the city and surrounding area. The name "Crème de Cassis de Dijon" guarantees that the fruits used come from Burgundy. The liqueur is also produced in other French cities, in Quebec (Canada) and in Luxembourg (Beaufort). The annual production volume in France is 16 million litres. Cassis is the favourite drink of the detective Hercule Poirot in the detective novels by Agatha Christie. The liqueur is used for cocktails such as Kir or Kir Royal. The sale of Cassis in Germany led to the so-called Cassis de Dijon decision.
Currants: by Pezibear on Pixabay
Cream of Cassis: By User:NEON_ja - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, Link
