nalivka is the Russian term for aromatic liqueur made from fruits or berries. A traditional method calls for layering ripe fruit cleaned of all leaves and stems with sugar in a jar, which is then covered with cheesecloth and left to sit in a warm place for three to five days until fermentation begins. Vodka is poured over the fruit, and the jar is transferred to a cool, dark place to age for up to six months, depending on the type of fruit used. Before bottling, the liquid is strained, with care taken not to press down on the fruit and cloud the liqueur.
More often a quicker process is used, in which the ripe berries or fruit are placed in a jar, covered with high-quality vodka, and left to macerate in a sunny spot for as little as six weeks. When the vodka is sufficiently flavored, it is strained. Water and sugar are stirred in, and the mixture is heated just long enough to dissolve the sugar, taking care not to let it boil. The liqueur is then cooled and bottled. With an alcohol content of 11–14 percent, a well-made nalivka keeps for years.
Confusingly, the term nalivka is often used synonymously with nastoika, which refers to vodka that has been infused for a shorter time, usually with herbs or spices. Where Russians consider nastoika a tonic, nalivka is pure pleasure. Some favorite flavors carry their own names, such as vishnevka (cherry), slivyanka (plum), and kalinovka (guelder rose).
Molokhovets, Elena. Classic Russian Cooking: Elena Molokhovets’ A Gift to Young Housewives. Translated by Joyce Toomre. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1991.
By: Darra Goldstein