Infused Liquor

Orahovica or Nocino is a bitter sweet liqueur typically made in early summer and drank at Christmas and beyond.  Traditionally green walnuts are harvested in June and legend has it the best, most medicinal walnuts are harvested on the Feast of St. John the Baptist or June 24th.  Orahovica can and should be aged at a minimum of 6 months before drinking, some recipes call for aging the liqueur for 18 months. Soaking any liquor in whole (or quartered) green walnut will turn it black, care should be taken when handling green walnuts as they will stain skin and clothes.  Since walnuts are only available once a year and not easy to find in stores or the internet I suggest harvesting a years worth in June and keeping them in the freezer for use during the year.  I've found several walnut trees in the forest by our home, they are a messy tree and probably won't be in local parks or in urban areas. Walnuts contain very high levels of antioxidants and the walnut husk cont...

Pelinkovac is a infused liquor with a base of wormwood.  Typically drank after dinner, dark in color, sometimes lower in alcohol and slightly sweet.  Pelinkovac is a bitter tasting liquor hence the added sweetness either through sugar or honey to offset the bitterness.  The darkness comes from dried wormwood and/or green walnuts.  If you've had a Pelinkovac that was slightly darker than Cognac it didn't have any walnut in it, but if you've had a "black" Pelinkovac it definitely had green walnut. Pelin or wormwood has some mystique about it, it is rumored to cause hallucination if consumed in large enough quantity and is one of the three main ingredients in absinthe .  Wormwood, like any ingredient in medicinal liquors should be studied and understood before using and consuming.  In my research and experience I don't think that wormwood is any more or less harmful than other ingredients that are used in absinthe or pelinkovac.  When adding wormwood ...

Infused liquor is basically liquor macerated in something to give the liquor the flavor or essence of that ingredient.  In some cases its simply for taste or color and in others there is actually medicinal value in it. Liquor can be infused with a variety of plants, herbs, spices and seeds to create complex and rich flavors. Here are the basic techniques that I've used and have been taught over the years: Only use glass or stainless steel vessels to hold your liquor.  Don't ever use plastic to store liquor for a long duration.  I like Ball Mason Jars in a variety of sizes to macerate liquor in, they are convenient and can last forever.  One note, when using a Mason Jar or any container for that matter leave at least a half inch of head room from the top of the jar to allow the liquor to swell and contract as the temperature changes. Only used edible ingredients, if your not sure don't use it.  Flowers make some of the best plant parts to infuse with liquor b...

Travarica is a traditional Croatian liquor that is a blend of herbs, fruits and plants with medicinal values typically drank daily or when you had a ailment.  I did some research on the Internet and found that there wasn't many recipes available for review.  The recipes that I did find didn't have descriptions of taste or aroma and honestly some of the traditional ingredients were foreign to me. I figured the best source for a quality recipe would be someone from the mother country and asked my Dalmatian buddy if he could help.  This is the recipe he gave me: 1L of homemade brandy This is the Travarica after 2 weeks 1 Sprig of fresh mint 1 Piece of lemon zest (or leaf) 1 Piece of orange zest (or leaf) 3 Pieces of Jujube fruit 1 Sprig of fennel 1/2 Carob pod Optional: Pinch of saffron for color Sprig of marjoram for aroma O.k., I know what mint, lemon, orange and fennel are but what the heck is Jujube and Carob?  Turns out that Jujube and Carob ...