mirabelle is an eau-de-vie—a clear fruit brandy made from yellow plums known as mirabelle plums. It has been made in France—and in particular in the Alsace and Lorraine regions—since the beginning of the nineteenth century, when it appears to have been perfected, and is noted for its delicacy and fragrance. See aroma. A small but growing number of American producers are also experimenting with making eau-de-vie from mirabelle plums. Clear Creek, a pioneering micro-distillery in Portland, Oregon, that specializes in working with fruit brandies, is noted for its exceptional example.
Mirabelle has also made a small contribution to literature: novelist Christopher Buckley was moved to write the following verse after presumably partaking of a little too much during a vacation on the Caribbean island of Anguilla:
Last night I had some mirabelle. Today I do not feel so swell. I think that that is it for me With any kind of eau de vie.
See also eau-de-vie and brandy.
Apple, R. W. “Eau de Vie: Fruit’s Essence Captured in a Bottle.” New York Times, April 1, 1998. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/01/dining/eau-de-vie-fruit-s-essence-captured-in-a-bottle.htm (accessed February 19, 2021).
Cadet de Vaux, Antione-Alexis. “Variétés du Koëtsch-wasser.” La décade philosophique, litteéraire et politique, 10 Fructidor, X [August 29, 1789], 434–438.
By: Kara Newman