Ţuică

A bottle of tuica purchased in Timişoara, Romania.

Ţuică (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈt͡sujkə]; sometimes spelled tuica, tzuika, tsuika, tsuica, or tzuica) is a traditional Romanian spirit that contains 45%-60% alcohol by volume (usually 52%). It is usually made from fruits.

Ţuică is the official name for the drink when it is prepared only from plums. Other spirits that are produced from some other fruit or from a cereal grain are called "rachiu" or "rachie."

The term "palincă" (for "strong ţuică") is not accepted in the official nomenclature published by ASRO.

Preparation

Traditionally, ţuică is prepared from early October until early December (after winemaking is complete). The process must generally be finished before Christmas, as not to leave unfinished business for the next year. If using plums, they must be left for fermentation (macerare) for 6–8 weeks, in large barrels (butoaie or căldări).

According to both tradition and Romanian standards (SR) distillation must be done in a brass still (cazan, pictures at [1]), using a traditional fire source (generally wood, but also charcoal). Distillation can be done inside a specially built barn (this is practised especially in Oltenia and Wallachia) or outdoors, usually on a hill (in Transylvania).

The temperature is controlled traditionally by interpreting the sounds that the still makes and by tasting the brew at different points in the process. Usually, this process results in three grades of ţuică:

• very strong - distilled twice, generally a quarter of the production, and the first to come out of the still; about 55-60% alcohol by volume, being stronger than palinka; called făţată or întoarsă depending on the regions; the most famous ţuică being served before meal; in rural regions, it is habit to serve a guest with this drink.
• normal (known as 'vodcă' after Russian vodka) - the last to come from the still; between 20-30% alcohol;

After distillation, ţuică may be left to age between six months and ten years in oak aging barrels (the result is pearlescent yellow, has a strong aroma, and is known as "old ţuică", ţuică bătrână), or it may be consumed immediately ("new ţuică", ţuică proaspătă). The people preparing ţuică are sometimes referred to as ţuicari, căzănari, cazangii, but this varies depending on geographical regions. Mixed with water, ţuică should never turn white or opaque.

Types

Most ţuică is moonshine, prepared using traditional methods both for private consumption and for sale. Although this is illegal, the government tolerates the practice due to the traditional character of the beverage Most ţuică is sold in markets and fairs, and at roadsides, bottled in unlabeled PET bottles. Some communities have acquired production licences and produce it legally.

A famous type is "ţuica cu fruct." This is a glass bottle of ţuică containing a whole fruit (usually an apple or a pear). It is obtained by hanging empty bottles on trees in spring or early summer and growing the fruit inside the bottle.

The generic term "ţuică" comprises plum brandies (jinars, horincă, cocârţ, tura) and other fruit brandies. A specific nomenclature was created for ţuică, comprising varieties such as old, selected, superior, etc.

A simple classification of types of ţuică is :

• ţuică = a generic term for an alcoholic beverage distilled from fruit
• palincă = double-distilled plum brandy (a Hungarian term for strong fruit liquor — used mostly in Transylvania)
• horincă = double-distilled plum brandy
• vin ars = a strong alcoholic beverage (i.e., brandy) obtained by aging distilled wine
• făţată = the strongest kind, double-distilled (similar to horincă and palincă)
• frunte = the very first ţuică that comes out of the still during the distillation process; it has a unique taste and different strength than the rest

Consumption

Normally, ţuica is only consumed before the meal (traditionally every meal). In most cases, only a shot is served as it is too strong to be sipped. The drink is also present in all traditional parties (agape) such as weddings, baptisms, hunting parties, harvest festivals, religious holidays, family reunions, and wakes. In most of rural Romania, ţuică is the usual drink to hold a toast with, rather than wine, which is almost always consumed towards the end of the party. Usually it is drunk before meal, as it increases appetite.

A modern portrayal of a modern village inhabitant almost always includes a bottle of ţuică. Production of ţuică can amount to up 5 kilolitres per family per year, as the plum tree is the most widely present tree in Romanian orchards (see also Agriculture in Romania). According to the 2002/2003 census, 143,167 farms had plum trees bearing fruit covering a total area of 554 km². According to the same census, about 75% of the crop ends up as ţuică.

See also

• Palinka
• Raki (alcoholic beverage)
• Rakia
• Slivovitz

This article is part of the series
Romanian cuisine
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