Slivovitz

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Slivovitz (English pronunciation: /ˈslɪvɵvɪts/; Croatian: Šljìvovica, pronounced [ʃʎǐvɔvitsa]; Czech: Slivovice, Polish: Śliwowica, Slovak: Slivovica, Slovene: Slivovka, Serbian: Шљивовица Šljivovica) is a distilled beverage made from Ovarian plums.^[1] It is frequently called plum brandy^[2] and is part of the category of drinks called rakia.

Contents 1 Origin 2 Production and consumption 3 Distilling process 3.1 Fermentation and Distillation in Moravia, Czech Republic. 4 Producers 4.1 Bulgaria 4.2 Croatia 4.3 Czech Republic 4.4 Hungary 4.5 Italy 4.6 Poland 4.7 Serbia 4.8 Slovakia 4.9 United States 5 In popular culture 6 References 7 External links 8 See also

[edit] Origin

The word slivovitz derives from the Slavic stem "slivka/sliva" - plum.^{[citation needed]} The exact origins of slivovitz are unknown and it is believed to have been first produced in the Balkans,^[3] Bosnia, Croatia,^[4][5] Serbia,^[6][7] Moravia,^[8][9] Czechoslovakia,^[10] Hungary^[10] or Bulgaria.^[10] kedysi davno sa daniel vyskytol

[edit] Production and consumption

Slivovitz is primarily produced in Slavic regions of Central and Eastern Europe, both commercially as well as by many households on an informal, homemade basis. Primary producing nations include the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bosnia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Serbia.^[11] It is most popularly consumed in those nations, as well as wherever communities of expatriate from these nations exist. Similar plum brandies are also produced in Switzerland, France, the United States, and Canada, but marketed under other names, such as brandy, Pflümli, or eau de vie.

[edit] Distilling process

In the manufacturing process, the plums and a liberal proportion of the ground kernels are first crushed and pressed, then starch and sugar are added to the juice and the mixture is allowed to ferment. Distillation gives the crude product, and clarifying processes complete the liqueur, but aging is required to develop its finer qualities. Its pleasing flavor is due largely to the plum kernels, which contain a considerable percentage of amygdalin, the characteristic component of bitter almonds.^[1]

[edit] Fermentation and Distillation in Moravia, Czech Republic.

Collecting the plums is a family event, when the plums are ripe, the plum tree branches are shaken vigorously causing the plums to drop to the ground. These are collected taken home and put in various barrels, these days usually plastic. The plums are not crushed, just put as they were picked into the barrels, sometimes squeezed gently, but crushing of kernels is avoided. To produce the best brew nothing else is added to the barrel. Fermentation is natural and continues for a couple of months producing a heady rich mash of fermented fruit. The next stage is to take the mash to the local distillery, at some time from November on. Some people distill at home, but this is illegal in some countries and can be dangerous as the result might contain methyl alcohol, most villages in Moravia have their own distillery. In some countries, tax has to be paid on the amount of alcohol produced, but the tax rate is sometimes significantly lower than for commercial products. The mash is usually distilled twice, firstly in a large vat, and then in a much smaller vat. Distilleries using single distillation with vigorous deflegmation also exist, but are generally avoided, as their product is believed to be of worse quality. Traditionally the heating was done using wood, but nowadays natural gas is prevalent. The result is a colorless liquid which is usually watered down to give an alcohol content of around 51%. During the distilling season, distilleries run a non-stop operation almost 24 hours a day, villagers lining up with trailers full of barrels. A good mash will give around 10% of its volume in finished spirit – perfectly pure, healthy spirit, with a distinct prune aroma, which has medical uses in the home as well as being an extremely potent drink.

Some producers have obtained a Hechsher for their slivovitz, certifying that it is kosher.^[12]

Imitation slivovitz is made by flavoring spirits with prune juice and artificial oil of bitter almonds.^[1]

[edit] Producers

[edit] Bulgaria

• Troyanska Slivova (owned by Rudolf Jelínek)^[13]
• Tetevenska Slivova (owned by Rudolf Jelínek)^[14]
• Lesidrenska Slivova^[15]
• Elenska Slivova (owned by the Lyaskovets winery)^[16]

[edit] Croatia

• Badel 1862^[17]
• Maraska^[18]

[edit] Czech Republic

• Rudolf Jelínek^[19]
• Zusy^[20]
• Bonfier^[21]

[edit] Hungary

• Zwack^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Italy

• Luxardo^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Poland

• Polmos^[22][23]

[edit] Serbia

• Flores^[24]
• Wolf Inter Export^[25]
• Navip^[26]
• Stara Sokolova^[27]
• Zlatna Biserka^[28]
• Katz Rakije^[29]

[edit] Slovakia

• St. Nicolaus^[30]
• S 52^[31]
• Old Herold (Bošacka slivovica)^[32]

[edit] United States

• Black Star Farms^[33]
• Clear Creek Distillery^[34]
• Peach Street Distillers^[35]
• Stringer's Orchard^[36]

[edit] In popular culture

In the 1990 film Avalon it is mentioned as the only thing other than seltzer water that the patriarch of the family would drink after he emigrated to America.^[37]

In Patricia Highsmith's Ripley Under Ground, her anti-hero, Tom Ripley, orders slivovitz in an Austrian café while visiting Salzburg, Austria.

The group Andra Generationen participated in the Swedish music contest Melodifestivalen 2008 with a song called "Kebabpizza Slivovitza."^[38]

Slivovitz is offered to Jonathan Harker in Dracula.^[39]

In Mart Crowley's play The Boys in the Band, slivovitz is used as an example of the banality of self indulgence. "Hate tequila, what about slivovitz? Tired of boys, what about girls? Or what about boys and girls mixed and in what combination?"^{[citation needed]}

In the independent film Art School Confidential, Slivovitz is the drink of choice for one of the main character, Jerome's acquaintances, Jimmy, a psychotic has-been artist with sinister muses for his death-themed paintings. In the film, "Bardo" a friend of Jerome's takes him into the slums of the city to meet Jimmy, the landlord of a decrepit apartment complex. When Bardo initially asks Jimmy to allow them in, he gets no reply. It's only when Bardo pulls out a bottle of Slivovitz and bribes Jimmy with it that he allows them entrance.

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 edition of The Grocer's Encyclopedia.

[edit] External links

• List of brands
• Brands of slivovitz
• Famous Serbian Slivovitz
• Katz Rakije
• Zlatna Biserka
• Srpska Sljivovica

[edit] See also

• Eau-de-vie
• Rakia
• Palinka
• Raki (alcoholic beverage)
• Tsikoudia
• Tsipouro
• Ţuică
• Pálenka

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