Anne of Green Gables Raspberry Cordial
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Marilla’s Raspberry Cordial from Green Gables
When Marilla gives Anne permission to serve cordial and cookies for her afternoon with Diana, Anne unknowingly offers the wrong bottle. The result? A mortified Marilla, a horrified Mrs. Barry, and poor Anne banished from seeing her bosom friend. It’s one of the most iconic misadventures in Anne of Green Gables, and one that we all remember fondly. Jump to the recipe or discover its historical roots below.
Book Quote
“Set Diana drunk!” she said when she found her voice. “Anne are you or Mrs. Barry crazy? What on earth did you give her?”
“Not a thing but raspberry cordial,” sobbed Anne. “I never thought raspberry cordial would set people drunk, Marilla—not even if they drank three big tumblerfuls as Diana did. Oh, it sounds so—so—like Mrs. Thomas’s husband! But I didn’t mean to set her drunk.”
“Drunk fiddlesticks!” said Marilla, marching to the sitting-room pantry. There on the shelf was a bottle which she at once recognized as one containing some of her three-year-old homemade currant wine for which she was celebrated in Avonlea, although certain of the stricter sort, Mrs. Barry among them, disapproved strongly of it. And at the same time Marilla recollected that she had put the bottle of raspberry cordial down in the cellar instead of in the pantry as she had told Anne.
She went back to the kitchen with the wine bottle in her hand. Her face was twitching in spite of herself.
“Anne, you certainly have a genius for getting into trouble. You went and gave Diana currant wine instead of raspberry cordial. Didn’t you know the difference yourself?”
-Anne of Green Gables, L. M. Montgomery
Cordials & Preserving in the late 19th century
Anne of Green Gables is set in Canada in the late 19th century, and in Marilla’s day, preserving wasn’t a hobby. It was a part of life and a well-stocked pantry was a mark of good housekeeping. Bottled cordials were a practical and polite offering for guests, especially for those who didn’t drink alcohol. Raspberry vinegar cordials (sometimes called shrubs) were popular during the 19th century, not just for flavor, but because they were a form of preserving.
🍁 Source: Both “The Home Cook Book” (Toronto Women’s Auxiliary, 1877) and Benoît, Jehane’s “The Canadiana Cookbook” (1970) includes vinegar-based fruit drinks.
Traditionally, vinegary syrups take several days to steep, strain, and settle, and to preserve the recipe from older Canadian cookbooks, I’m including a version. However, a stovetop version simplifies the method while keeping the tangy, old-fashioned flavor intact for those wanting to host tea with a bosom friend
A Taste of Avonlea
Raspberries grow especially well in cooler climates with rich, well-drained soil, which makes eastern Canada, including Prince Edward Island, a perfect spot! Summers there are just warm enough to ripen the berries, while the winters help the plants rest and regrow. If you’ve ever wandered down a country lane in Canada during berry season, you’ll know how easy it is to spot wild raspberry canes—tucked along fences, edging old farm paths, and just waiting to stain your fingers red.
Growing up in Canada, I still remember picking raspberries straight off the brambles when I was little. Wild ones. The taste is completely different from those tiny punnets from the store that cost a small fortune and vanish in a handful!
Host an Anne of Green Gables Tea Party
Serve the raspberry cordial with:
- Cherry preserves in a yellow crock or vintage bowl
- Rich fruit cake
- Cookies and “snaps” (spiced gingersnaps or sugar cookies)
- Plain brown tea set for that Marilla-approved aesthetic
- Lace tablecloths, straw hats, and poetry readings for flair
Anne of Green Gables Party Favor Idea
Make and bottle extra raspberry cordial into 200mL bottles, tie with ribbon and add a quote from Anne.
Anne of Green Gables Book Club or Homeschool Ideas
Use this post to explore:
- Canadian food history
- Preserving in the 1800s
- Themes of friendship and forgiveness in Anne of Green Gables
Marilla’s Traditional Raspberry Vinegar Cordial from Anne of Green Gables
Equipment
- Clean jelly bag or cheesecloth (for straining)
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh raspberries, divided (1.5 quarts)
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- 4 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a large glass or ceramic bowl (no metal), mash 2 cups of raspberries.
- Pour 1 cup of cider vinegar over the fruit.
- Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
- Wet a jelly bag or cheesecloth with white vinegar to prevent absorbing juice.
- Place it over a clean bowl and strain the raspberry-vinegar mixture through it.
- Do not press; allow it to drip naturally for best clarity.
- Pour the strained vinegar over another 2 cups of fresh raspberries. Cover and let sit for another 24 hours.
- Pour that mixture over the final 2 cups of raspberries and let sit one more night.
- After the third round, strain the liquid one final time through the jelly bag.
- Measure the amount of strained juice, then pour it into a saucepan.
- Add an equal amount of sugar (1 cup sugar per 1 cup juice).
- Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 3 minutes.
- Pour into sterilised glass bottles and seal.
- Store in a cool, dark cupboard. This syrup keeps for up to 1 year.
- Mix ¼ cup cordial with ¾ cup cold still or sparkling water. Pour over ice for a refreshing, tart-sweet drink.
Anne’s Stovetop Raspberry Cordial (Modern Method)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups raspberries
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 ¼ cups water
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and vinegar.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for 1 hour to infuse.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing gently to extract the juice.
- Transfer to a sterilized bottle or jug and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
Quote
“Oh, Marilla!” Anne clasped her hands. “How perfectly lovely! You are able to imagine things after all or else you’d never have understood how I’ve longed for that very thing. It will seem so nice and grown-uppish. No fear of my forgetting to put the tea to draw when I have company. Oh, Marilla, can I use the rosebud spray tea set?”
“No, indeed! The rosebud tea set! Well, what next? You know I never use that except for the minister or the Aids. You’ll put down the old brown tea set. But you can open the little yellow crock of cherry preserves. It’s time it was being used anyhow—I believe it’s beginning to work. And you can cut some fruit cake and have some of the cookies and snaps.”
“I can just imagine myself sitting down at the head of the table and pouring out the tea,” said Anne, shutting her eyes ecstatically. “And asking Diana if she takes sugar! I know she doesn’t but of course I’ll ask her just as if I didn’t know. And then pressing her to take another piece of fruit cake and another helping of preserves. Oh, Marilla, it’s a wonderful sensation just to think of it. Can I take her into the spare room to lay off her hat when she comes? And then into the parlor to sit?”
“No. The sitting room will do for you and your company. But there’s a bottle half full of raspberry cordial that was left over from the church social the other night. It’s on the second shelf of the sitting-room closet and you and Diana can have it if you like, and a cooky to eat with it along in the afternoon, for I daresay Matthew ‘ll be late coming in to tea since he’s hauling potatoes to the vessel.”
-Anne of Green Gables, L. M. Montgomery
References
- Benoît, Jehane. The Canadiana Cookbook: A Complete Heritage of Canadian Cooking. Pagurian Press, 1970.
- Montgomery, L. M. Anne of Green Gables, 1908.
- The Home Cook Book. Compiled by the ladies of Toronto and chief cities and towns in Canada, 1877. Wellcome Collection, https://wellcomecollection.org/works/szp3b6nj. Accessed 16 July 2025.
FAQS: Anne of Green Gables Raspberry Cordial
What is raspberry cordial made of?
Traditionally, raspberry cordial is a fruit-and-vinegar syrup (called a shrub), made with raspberries, sugar, and cider vinegar, then diluted with water to drink.
Is this the cordial Anne served to Diana?
Not quite… Anne accidentally served currant wine instead of raspberry cordial! But this recipe is what she meant to serve.
Can I use frozen raspberries?
Yes! Especially for the stovetop method. Frozen berries work well and are available year-round.
How long does raspberry cordial last?
The traditional vinegar version can last up to 1 year if stored in a cool, dark place. The stovetop version should be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks.
Can I serve this at a children’s party or picnic?
Absolutely! It’s non-alcoholic, fruity, and refreshing… perfect for a summer day or a literary-themed birthday party.
The whole fiasco with Marilla’s raspberry cordial never fails to send me into fits of laughter! I’ve always wanted to recreate it and now I think I’ve found the perfect recipe!