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The beneficial effect on the body of a small amount of high-quality alcohol has been proven by science. In particular, this product relaxes blood vessels, improves fat burning, and is a prevention of coronary heart disease. But for medicinal purposes use exclusively natural alcohol. For example, from plums – known as plum tree.
What it is?
Alcohol connoisseurs like to say that in the kingdom of spirits there are two kings at once – cognac and whiskey, but only one queen. And this is Serbian plum brandy.
Slivovitsa is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented plum juice. It is considered a national drink in the Balkan countries, where it is difficult to find at least one yard or garden without plums. However, plum brandy, or plum brandy (other names of this alcoholic product) is no less popular in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, they know this drink in Germany and other countries of the world.
Slivovitsa is a strong alcohol produced by the distillation of plum raw materials. There are three variants of plum brandy. The weakest is 45 percent alcohol. The strongest (produced by double distillation) is a drink of incredible 75-percent strength. The so-called home version of the plum tree, which in the Balkans is cooked in almost every home, reaches 52%.
Speaking of Slivovice, the first thing that needs to be realized is that this is not a spirit tincture on plums. And although the tincture is also known and popular in many regions, but it is prepared in a different way, and the name is otherwise called a cream.
Ready plum brandy can be consumed immediately after distillation, like vodka. And you can withstand in oak barrels, well, at least five years (or better – all 20). The result is a product resembling noble whiskey: with a delicate golden color, rich plum aroma and a rich flavoring bouquet. They say that the most delicious plum brandy is aged in barrels of Limousin oak (the same one that is used to make real French cognac).
Sometimes you can see a bottle with a clear liquid, but with the inscription “plum”. And this is not necessarily a fake. Inside, probably real fruit vodka, but without aging. After all, even 12 months of exposure will not give the drink a noble brandy color.
And although plum brandy is produced in many European countries, all of these options can be called semi-legal. In 2007, only Serbia was awarded the certificate, which secured the right to manufacture a real “Serbian brandy plum brandy”. Thus, another drink repeated the fate of the “patented” champagne and cognac, which are produced in many countries, but genuine, according to the certificate, only in certain regions of France.
Useful Properties
In Serbia, they consider that plivovits is the cure for all diseases, especially those originating on nerves. Also, small portions of plum brandy can be beneficial to the digestive system – to intensify the digestion of food.
Like vodka or other alcohol, plum brandy is suitable for disinfecting wounds and insect bites. The 52 percent option is the optimal basis for making homemade tinctures from medicinal plants.
Massage therapists use this alcohol to enhance the effect of acupressure, and cosmetologists use it to treat acne and skin irritations. It is useful to wipe the skin with Hypericum lotion infused 7 days on Slivovitsa (take 10 ml of alcohol on grass 100 g). The finished product is diluted with water (2 tablespoons per cup of warm water). A cotton swab soaked in the mixture is left on the problem areas of the skin for 5 minutes.
Compresses from plum brandy can also be useful. For example, to relieve pain in arthritis or gout. In this case, the tincture of plum and adam root is effective (take 250 g of herbs for a glass of alcohol). Means before use insist day.
People suffering from arrhythmia will benefit from tincture of plum brandy and chopped membranes of walnuts (alcohol should completely cover the membranes). After surviving the medicine for 14 days in a dark place, take 30 drops daily.
Slivovitz is also useful for the treatment of dental problems. Inflammatory processes in the oral cavity will stop the tincture of calendula (take 25 ml of dried flowers for 100 g of dried flowers), aged for a week in a dark place. Dilute a teaspoon of tincture in half a glass of warm water and rinse the inflamed gums with the finished medicine.
Proponents of aroma treatment claim that plum brandy helps relieve eye fatigue. To do this, on a heated palm drip a couple drops of the drink. Then rub your palms carefully and apply to closed eyes.
From the panic attack, depression, unexplained anxiety also save Slivowitz. Of course, some nerves heal by looking into a glass of alcohol, but frankly, this is not the best choice. A healthier version of the medicine – flowers of lily of the valley infused on Plumicea. Fill a half-liter jar with fresh flowers (on 2 / 3) and pour (to the top) plum crayfish. If infused for 2 weeks, take after a meal with 10 drops per 50 ml of water.
And they say that plum brandy perfectly removes traces of oil paints and cleans glass to shine. Maybe true. But probably there are few people willing to “translate” a delicious drink in such a ruthless way.
Hazardous properties
Slivovitsa is a very strong alcoholic drink, therefore, it should be consumed in small doses and wisely. Excessive fascination with this type of alcohol is fraught with liver diseases, disorders of the kidneys. People with gastritis or stomach ulcers, this product is strictly prohibited, as well as pregnant, nursing mothers and children. You can not use plum brandy on the background of medicines, especially antidepressants.
How to cook at home
These gourmets believe that not every plum is suitable for the manufacture of plum brandy. Experienced producers of homemade brandy advise to take the fruit of the variety Hungarian and only from trees that are more than 20 years old. In addition, fruits intended for fermentation cannot be plucked from the trees – only collected, and if bought in the market, only overripe specimens. Only such very ripe and juicy fruits are suitable for fermentation. The origin and degree of ripeness affect the chemical composition of the fruit, which as a result affects the taste of the finished drink.
For a real plum brandy, only plums and water are used (8 l of water per 11 kg of fruit). Although in the rainy summer, ripe fruits are not as sweet as they should be, but this is bad for fermentation. Therefore, to improve fermentation, some add sugar to acid plums. But gourmets again warn: sugar will turn a noble plum brandy into a banal moonshine.
As for fruit, they can be taken with and without stones. Plum stones in the fermentation process will give the drink a noble aftertaste and a slight scent of almonds.
Stages of production of homemade drink
- Peel ripe fruits from dirt and seeds (optional), grind to a state of gruel.
- Transfer the plum puree to the fermentation vessel, add a little water and, if the fruit is too sour, add a little sugar (add 100 g, checking the sweetness). Cover vessel neck with gauze.
- Leave the vessel with the drain mixture for 4 weeks in a warm place, protected from direct sunlight and drafts. Insist until bubbles form. The mixture stopped bubbling – time to move on to the next stage.
- Strain the liquid through the moonshine. The second distillation will make the drink stronger and clean it from fusel oils.
- Divorced to 45 percent home plum is placed in an oak barrel and kept for another 5 years. Although you can immediately to the table.
How to use
Ready plum brandy can be used in different ways. One likes a chilled drink, others like plum brandy at room temperature. And before the use of the Czechs heated raki. Drink a drink from small glasses or glasses of whiskey. In the Balkan countries, plum brandy is traditionally served as an aperitif or digestif. The first portion does not bite – to fully enjoy the taste and aroma. It is also not customary to mix it with juice or other non-alcoholic beverages in the homeland of Slivovitsa. As a result of this combination, the plum brandy has a metallic flavor.
Despite the high degree, plum tree is drunk easily, you can not be afraid to burn the throat. The drink does not cause severe hangover. After excessive use instead of traditional headaches, nausea and weakness, the “plum” hangover appears to be a coordination disorder.
They say that the first slivovitz was prepared for Count Dracula. Although many consider this version nothing more than a beautiful legend. It is officially accepted that slivovitz appeared in the Balkans around the XNUMXth century thanks to peasants who discovered that fermented plums make excellent moonshine. At one time, the huge popularity of plum brandy was the reason that this drink was outlawed in Serbia. But soon justice prevailed and today it is truly a national product – the pride of the Serbs. At times, disputes about whose plum brandy actually is are started by Czechs and Slovaks. The Czechs even have a holiday-fair in honor of this drink. And the Poles came up with their own Lontska slivovitz and consider it an important landmark of the region. Whatever you say, plum brandy is indeed the real queen of spirits.