Tonic Drinks & Waters
Cherry and Goji Berry Wine
Traditionally used to warm and nourish for tiredness, pale complexion, and sore lower back and knees
Why people make this wine
When cherries are in season, they are plump, deep-red and irresistibly sweet. In traditional thinking cherries are warming and are associated with replenishing energy and easing wind-damp aches, while goji berries are a classic gentle tonic. Steeping the two in rice wine makes a fragrant, sweet little cordial that Bro Niu likes to recommend to people who feel run-down, cold in the limbs, and weak through the lower back and knees.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Adults who feel tired and chilly, with a pale complexion, dizziness, sore weak lower back and knees, and a generally depleted “yang-deficient” feeling; also traditionally favored by those hoping to build up the body before planning a family.
- Avoid if you have “heat” signs, a dry-heat cough, diabetes, or kidney disease. Not for children, pregnancy, or anyone who should not drink alcohol.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Cherries (ying tao): Warming; traditionally associated with replenishing energy, nourishing the skin, and easing joint and wind-damp discomfort.
- Goji berries (gou qi zi): A gentle classic tonic linked in tradition with supporting the liver and kidney systems and brightening a tired complexion.
- Rice wine (mi jiu): Carries the warming properties and helps extract the fruit’s essence over time.
Ingredients (1 bottle)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh cherries (ying tao) | 300 g | Halved, with the stones left in |
| Goji berries (gou qi zi) | 100 g | Rinsed, patted dry |
| Rice wine (mi jiu) | 600 g | Ordinary cooking-grade rice wine is fine |
Method
- Remove cherry stems, wash, and drain.
- Rinse the goji berries, give them a final rinse with cooled boiled water, then pat or air-dry.
- Halve the cherries (keep the stones in) and put them in a clean glass jar.
- Add the goji berries, then pour in the rice wine.
- Seal and keep in a cool, shaded spot for 7 days. Sip one small cup a day.
Bro Niu’s tips
This wine is beautifully colored, fragrant and sweet, and is best suited to those who feel listless and yang-deficient. While cherries are in season, make a few extra bottles to keep on hand. Remember the cautions: not for people with heat signs, dry-heat cough, diabetes, or kidney disease.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Christine): Should I use ordinary cooking rice wine or a stronger, higher-proof one? Bro Niu: Ordinary cooking-grade rice wine is fine.
- Q (reader, menopause): During menopause I get night sweats and spontaneous sweating, yet I am very sensitive to air-conditioning and cold. What can I drink? Bro Niu: Try bei qi 3 qian, floating wheat (fu xiao mai) 5 qian, black soybeans (qing ren hei dou) 1 liang, and red or southern dates 5, simmered from 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls; take 3–4 doses. For the chill, cook more soups with fresh ginger, or sip some brown-sugar ginger water.
- Q (Maggie): My 10-month-old has a loud cough with a rattly, stuck phlegm sound and a hoarse voice; the doctor says the airways are constricted. What soup can soothe it? Bro Niu: Put su zi and lai fu zi, 3 qian each, into a tea bag and cook it into a lean-pork congee for the baby; it helps clear phlegm and ease cough. Give 3 doses.
Published July 5, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
