A spirit for all times: What is pálinka?

For any celebration, event or gathering – any excuse will do, really – Hungarians bring out their most revered drink: pálinka. This grappa fruit brandy – with an alcohol content ranging from 37 to 86% – is an important item in every Hungarian family, its history and that of the country itself are intertwined.

The most common ingredients for pálinka are plum, cherry, grape, pear, apple, and peach, but any fruit can be used. The only permanent rule, according to Hungarian law, is that the name pálinka must be reserved for drinks made in Hungary from Hungarian fruits and vegetables (although four Austrian provinces use of the word is also allowed).

The first records of the Hungarian spirit go back to aqua vitae reginae Hungariae, most likely mixed with rosemary for healing, in the 14th century. The name refers to the Queen of Hungary at the time (Elizabeth, not to be confused with the beloved Sisi of Habsburg) who suffered from arthritis.

Pálinka was coined as its own word in 1630, from a Slovak word meaning fruit, grain and distilled wine. In 1658, the pálinka fruit was first mentioned in Hungary, and from that time onwards, archaeologists found important distillation equipment in quarries across the country. .

At the end of the 18th century, guidelines and laws came into effect regarding the production of pálinka, keeping the right to act in the hands of landowners, and soon a tax was introduced on pálinka. However, Hungarians are not worried about such regulations, and illegal massages quickly became popular. Most of the time, these brews are made at home from a lot of seeds that have fallen to the ground, and therefore are not suitable for harvesting as food. More than a thousand wineries were built in the 19th century, producing pálinka for the Hungarian and international markets. Strict rules were then put in place to set new standards, but when the industry became state-owned, quantity was preferred over quality. After 1989, the dilapidated old equipment and factories in the ruins were slowly being renovated.

Eating Pálinka is a Hungarian tradition. In the early 1900s, he was given the nickname of the poor man’s coffee, and many people started the day with a fasting jab. Hungarians always insist that a dose of pálinka can cure any disease, from toothache to stomach and throat ailments. Homemade pálinka is still popular among Hungarian families today, although there are limits to how much can be brewed at home.

Explaining from the taste of fruit, pálinka can also be named according to its production process – ágyas pálinka has been used for three months, törköly is made from pomace. pálinka should not be cold but put in a tulip-shaped glass, round and bottom, narrow at the rim, allowing the aroma to breathe.