Ed.: I’m very excited to introduce Julia of the Gose Girls duo (check them out on Instagram at @yougosegirl), who is writing her first post for the blog about slivovitz, an Eastern European plum-based liqueur that you can make yourself at home. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. Merry Christmas Eve!
I am, at best, a casual homesteader. While our fridge is often stocked with quick pickled jalapeños and red onions, I’m rarely motivated to put in the work in August to put up summer produce for December.
But while I may be an amateur pioneer woman, I definitely know how to infuse alcohol.
I’ve expanded my repertoire from the Peachie-O’s and gummy bear infused vodka I made in college (which was well received at the time, but not the kind of thing one could package up for, say, a boyfriend’s parents for the holidays). Citrus is an easy addition to nearly anything – orange and whiskey is a favorite, or lemon and gin for my G&T-loving mom.
This year’s DIY booze gift was inspired by an overzealous purchase of Italian plums, also called prune plums, from Woerner’s Orchards (find them in DC at the USDA Farmers Market) in mid-September. After two Marian Burros plum tortes and plenty of snacking, I was left with three pounds of beautiful fruit.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYgoMrFgl_a/?taken-by=truelove7
A quick search turned up a Washington Post article about slivovitz, an Eastern European plum schnapps, accompanied by a DIY recipe for vodka infused with plums, lemon peel, and cinnamon. I loved the idea of a homemade treat that was a step up from a solely citrus (or candy aisle) concoction and called back to my family’s roots in Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia.
Making Slivovitz at Home
This recipe takes about 10 minutes of prep, and 3-4 months of steeping. Start the process in August or September when these plums are at their prime. Pierce the plums to the pit or halve them. Add the fruit and pits to a vessel with the base spirit (I used a mid-shelf vodka) and the rest of the ingredients. For two weeks, shake the bottle occasionally to dissolve the sugar, then let it steep for at least three months. The recipe recommends keeping the mixture dark and cool. I used a dark growler and kept it in the pantry with a label reading “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL XMAS!!!”.
I eagerly decanted the growler on my first day off for the holidays. The end result is a beautiful dark purple – jammy, smooth, slightly spiced, and sweet. Next year, I might add another cinnamon stick or a few cloves. It’s delicious served chilled in a port glass, or topped with soda and lemon as shown below for a lighter beverage. It would make a wonderful addition to mulled wine, and Max Falkowitz at Serious Eats swaps it into a hot toddy with honey and lemon.
Find the Washington Post recipe for slivovitz here.
I’m excited to share this with my family by the fire, and hope my ancestors are smiling down on our holiday drinks. Next August, I’ll buy the extra pound of plums with abandon.
Happy holidays to you and yours, and cheers!
Julia from @yougosegirl