Recipe: Cranberry Mors

Mors is a tart, berry-based refresher that has a heck of a pedigree — it was first mentioned in the sixteenth-century Russian homemaking manual “Domostroy.” Although it’s frequently made from cranberries, mors can easily be made with just about any kind of wild or cultivated sour berries. And although modern-day mors is often sweetened with sugar, I prefer to use honey; it’s a nod to the origin of the word mors, which probably derives from the Latin mulsa, or “honey drink.”

Forget about the store-bought stuff that comes in cartons — thanks to the natural pectin in the berries, this juice has a velvety texture.

Besides using fresh or frozen cranberries, you could try another tart berry, such as red currants, gooseberries, lingonberries, barberries, highbush cranberries (Viburnum trilobum), or Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas).

Mors is wonderful as a hot drink, too. To make a spiced mulled drink, just simmer the strained mors with a cinnamon stick, a few strips of orange zest, and a couple of cloves for a few minutes over low heat.