Conference turris::cooks

    How long did he let it soak.  Or is that why you're looking for a
    recipe?
    
    ed

	Usually plums, rum, sugar & a big earthenware jar is all you need.

	I can't tell you the proportions of ingredients to use ... 'coz
	noone ever told me :^). You basically throw a few washed & stoned
	plums into the jar ( enough to make a couple of layers ), chuck a 
	few handfulls of sugar on top & then pour dark rum over the top
	until the fruit is covered. Put the lid on the jar, put it in a 
	place where you'll practically never see it and forget about it.
	Every three weeks or so ( or when you remember ) throw a few more 
	plums in & a little sugar ( a tiny amount ). The best tasting ones
	are at least a year old. 

	FWIW, you can do this with nearly any fruit & eau de vie. I made
	some excellent cherry liquer a few years ago. For this, you need
	a load of cooking cherries ( the smallish dark sour round ones or
	the round sour candy red ones ) with about a � inch of stalk still
	attached (this is important - if the skins are broken or the stalks
	removed, the cherries will simply soak up the alcohol ) , a litre 
	( minimum ) pickling jar, a few generous handfulls of sugar ( no 
	odds, brown or white - I used white ) & enough Kirsch or Eau de Vie
	to cover the lot. Wash the cherries & use any ones with broken 
	skins for something else. Fill the jar with the cherries. For a 
	litre, you need maybe 3-4 tbspns sugar over the top, then cover 
	with kirsch/eau de vie. Seal it. Leave at least 6 months. My best 
	ever one was two years old. The cherries stay whole but get 
	_*seriously*_ alcoholic. The alcohol turns a rich purple colour & 
	the fermenting cherries give it a rich thick flavour and consistency
	like cherry brandy. It's delicious. 

	Have fun,

			Nik.

    RE: .1
    I don't know/remember... I only remember that he used oranges slices
    and other fruits. (which I don't remember)
    
    Are there certain fruits that would not do well in mixture of this 
    type..
    
    thanks

	Rep .0

	The way my German friend makes a Rumptopf is he takes a large earthenware
 	jar and adds layers of fruit and rum. The traditional way is to add a layer
	of fruit as it becomes ripe during the growing season and then at christmas
	time eat the Rumtopf. So I don't believe there is a recipe as such just 
	take the ripe fruit you like sweeten to taste with alittle sugar syrup 
	and then add your favorite alcohol. Since most fruits contain alot of 
	water you really want to use a high >100 proof alcohol to make sure you 
	don't get any spoilage. This year I made raspberries in vodka and cognac
	and they are both quite nice. 

	-mike

    	My great-aunt in M�nchen still makes the best I've ever tasted. I've
    	seen Rumptopf made by German liqueur companies for sale at high-end
    	liquor stores here, but you only get a little and it is very expensive.
    	My relatives never use a recipe so I experiment on my own over
    	here (which is what they do too, but they have something of a knack
    	for knowing what ideal fruit combinations & amounts to put in.) I just 
    	use whatever fresh fruit I have around the kitchen in the fall. Fruit 
    	that has become just-a-hair-little too ripe is ideal. The sweeter 
    	the fruit going in the better (for my tastes). The first time I
    	made it myself I worried about spoilage too (being American-centric 
    	where if something isn't 35 degrees or is room-temperature we all 
    	scream about diseases and such). But the trick is to use a very
    	high-proof liqueur and that seems make it OK to leave out at room
    	temperature until winter comes (like -1 said). I've never used
    	oranges but myself prefer a lot of berry-fruits in it. Raspberries 
    	cherries are my favorites in the mix. I usually use rum and cognac
    	as well. So have fun and experiment... most anything you use will
    	probably come out fine, enjoy! 
    
    	-Erik  

        I learned how to make a Rumtoph from my ex who is German.
        
        At the begining of the Berry season you:
        
        Take a fifth of rum (I prefer  a  Spice Rum like Captain Morgans)
        and pour into a large jar that can  be  sealed.   Desolve as much
        sugar into the rum as the rum will hold.    Add  berries  as they
        come  into  season.    I  start my Rumtoph around June  and  come
        Christmas  it  is  ready.    I  will also start eating on  it  in
        November.    This  is  one  delicious  way  to get blotto.  It is
        excellent on ice cream.
        
        When the pot is ready  the fruit and liquid will be a deep redish
        purple.  
        
        What I add:
        
        Strawberries
        rasberries
        blueberries
        peaches
        grapes (seedless)
        any berry type fruit is right for this.
        
        
        I once  tried  151  Rum  and  it  bleached the fruit white.  So I
        restarted the pot with Captain Morgans.  Periodically (like every
        time you add fruit)  check  for  sweetness.    If it is not sweet
        enough for your tast then add more sugar.