The plum brandy is the Romanian liqueur of which we are envyed across Europe. This spirit can be related with all human activities, work-related holidays, traditions.

Brandy was up after the war, an agricultural jewel of each household. It was enshrined and consumed only at special occasions, it was not a consumer beverage, just for be loved ones and for important guests; virtually every household was so proud by its own quality brandy.

The first stage of taking this drink quality is picking plums, after which, remove seeds, because their heart is toxic. Plums are collected in the last decade of August and after two weeks of fermentation, distillation is started. Distillation is slow and it follows the methods learned from their grandparents’ time.

After distillation, the brandy must be aged at least six months in barrels and should not touch metal or plastic. Barrels are made of staves of acacia wood, carefully selected by the foremen coopers. Wood for staves must be ready for at least four years before the barrels should be assembled. Brandy is not treated with any coloring matter or preservative.

About brandy’s ritual, we start from name “horinca”, which is a combination between a popular round dance called “hora” and another liqueur called “palinca”. The villagers went to fuss with a glass of “palinca”, which was a sign of wealth. Because it was difficult to obtain, was in ancient times an expensive drink of great value, compared with other products in the home. Brandy was a product of privilege of the rich, worthy of householders.

Brandy is accompanying fat laden foods, that traditional pork, which is cut before Christmas. Without “palinca” this ritual is unthinkable. Also, brandy has an effect in terms of digestion and fat metabolism.

The story of plum brandy production

In mid-October, villages boil under brandy’s childbirth fever. Under roundabout boilers nerve to play fire shots out the new brandy, with strength known in ancient times.

Since the beginning of the world on this earth, in the middle of autumn, a corner of the yard layout becomes a miniature laboratory. The well capacity boilers almost burn the composition produced by the fermentation of plums, and as they burn dried wood burning peat. After several hours of waiting, the pipe cooler begin a liquid, colorless, but once tasted breathing would stop even the Evil.

Peasants’ merry eyes of flame that rises from the boiler heats the ember, like he did all his life, on the stove cooking or the noose in the yard. When the pipe first drops begin to run cooler, peasant stands leaning on the staff of old age, take a wooden spoon and sips difficult “head” spirit. After tasting and fawn all their bones because of the plum’s strength, sits on stool in front of the boiler and resumes his life story from where he left off.

A barking dog wakes our peasant from his deepest thoughts and notes that the first bucket is full, takes another to replace it and throws a strong cup of brandy in the flame. These amounts peat, a sign that brandy can be left to run. After a while liquor starts to flow faster, peasants rose cheerfully that he finished first boiler. He puts all the drinks in a wooden mulberry barrel for it to get a yellow color and draggs his right flavor and taste enhancing its qualities.

The brandy just made spreads a smack of baking stone. Now the frost can come any time, because boiled plum brandy, drunk by fireside heats the soul and release the tongues.