NOCINO or GREEN WALNUT LIQUEUR

Makes 1 liter

Nocino has a rich history going back the Middle Ages in Britain and the Picts, a Celtic people in Northern Scotland. Nocino made its way to Northern Italy and France where it’s made every summer, most often at home. Traditionally, green walnuts are harvested on June 24th and steeped alcohol and spices until after November 3rd, though climate change has begun to alter those dates. Nocino benefits from aging, and changes into something completely different by its second year. I once had the pleasure of dining in a Modenese trattoria that served a selection of homemade nocino as old as 30 years. It was delightful. And remarkable. Their younger nocino paired wonderfully with the main dish – in fact their only dish – donkey ragù, a not uncommon preparation in Emilia-Romagna. The older brew was a splendid end-of-the-meal tipple.

30 green walnuts
1 lt inexpensive unflavored vodka
500 g superfine sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, whole
10 cloves, whole
1 vanilla bean, split
6 strips lemon zest

First, rinse walnuts in cool water; drain well. Split walnuts in half, discarding any bruised or damaged specimens. Place split walnuts in a large glass container with sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, split vanilla bean, lemon zest. Pour vodka into the bottle and shake to mix. Cover and store jar in a cool, dark place for 40 days; shake every few days to dissolve sugar and encourage flavor extraction. After 40 days, strain nocino through cheesecloth or fine muslin and discard all the refuse. Seal bottle tightly and return to cool, dark location. Try to wait 3 months before drinking (you can taste periodically).

Note: Walnuts contain a powerful stain. It’s advisable to wear disposable gloves to avoid staining your hands and wash the cutting board soon after splitting the walnuts on it. If walnuts are picked late, their shells will be harder and more difficult to cut, so if that’s the case, please take care with your fingers.