#green walnuts

“…días afuera, a sol y serena”

Every June in Spain, many remember the wisdom in traditions of their grandmothers, as they follow their family recipes, by setting spirits and spices in bottles to rest. Those become unique versions of ratafía. And each year I embark in the process of macerating these fruits of nature, I delight in gathering a variety of information on ingredients and processing styles from Spain, France and…

On Dwelling versus Waiting

If patience means the virtue of waiting in a relaxed state during a given time, being patient names the manner in which we handle said time frame, without necessarily reflecting an appreciation for the qualities and meaning of what is transpiring. It is not even a given that while being relaxed about the waiting, we are paying attention to the moment. Though patient, we might not be in the…

A variety of trees give us fruits which we eat once nature makes them ripe, ready to fall and be eaten — apples, bananas, figs, and lemons, or roots, seeds, and leaves — all raw, just as nature makes them. That is the natural cycle of nature and a primordial gift to us. Culture, on the other hand, with different sources and goals, based on belief, geography, and customs, helps man decide what to…

Barrel Project Final Update (1/30/2020)

This project began with an idea in early 2017. I described the intended project in a post in March of that year. Since that time, I posted several updates (see posts here, here, here, and here). The project experienced a few hiccups along the way. I am now officially declaring the project at an end. If you do not wish to read the updates linked above, you can get a sense of the project’s…

Barrel Project Update (6/24/19)

  Previously, I posted items about an ongoing project in which I “aged” nocino in a charred oak barrel, then replaced it with an Imperial Stout to soak up the nocino flavor (see the posts here, here, and here). As outlined in these posts, the Imperial Stout did not turn out as expected. Its flavor ended up being “noisy” according to one of my taste testers. Hoping to salvage something “beer-wise”…

Barrel Project Update (5/28/19)

Previously, I described an ongoing project involving a 10L charred oak barrel and several beverages (see posts here, here, and here). The process of “aging” 10L of nocino in the barrel went well. The plan to add an imperial stout after removing the nocino did not fare as well. All research leading up to adding the stout indicated that it would be a good match with the nocino flavor. It was not;…

Is Nocino “Period”? (i.e., pre-1600)

What is Nocino? It is a walnut liqueur, but it is not made with the familiar cerebrum-like nut we love to put into baked goods. It involves using unripe, green walnuts whose shells have not yet hardened. These walnut “hulls” are typically quartered and soaked in neutral spirits and simple syrup along with a variety of adjuncts such as citrus zest, cinnamon, anise, and the like. It is quite…