Vișinată

Ingredients

Infusion

• 1 kgsour cherries (vișine), stems removed
• 500 gsugar
• 700 mlțuică, brandy or vodka, 40%

Optional

• 1cinnamon stick
• a few cherry leaves
• a strip of lemon peel

Directions

1. Use sour cherries. Sweet dessert cherries make a cloying liqueur with none of the sharpness that vișinată is drunk for.
2. Wash and dry the cherries thoroughly and pull off the stems. Leave the stones in — they give the faint almond note that develops over the weeks.
3. Layer the cherries and sugar in a large clean jar, finishing with a layer of sugar, and add the cinnamon and lemon peel if using.
4. Cover the jar with muslin rather than a lid and stand it in the sun for about two weeks. The sugar draws the juice out of the cherries and a syrup forms — this first sun stage is what Romanian households do and it is why the liqueur comes out so intensely coloured.
5. Shake or swirl the jar every day or two.
6. Once the sugar has dissolved into a dark syrup, pour over the spirit, seal properly, and move the jar somewhere dark.
7. Leave at least four more weeks — longer is better, and jars started in July are opened at Christmas.
8. Strain into bottles and serve in small glasses at room temperature. The steeped cherries are eaten too and are strong.

Technique

• Muslin first, then a lid. The first two weeks need air to escape as the sugar draws the juice; once the spirit goes in, seal it.
• Leave the stones in and give it months.
• If any mould appears on the surface during the sun stage, the fruit was not dry or the jar was not clean. Start again rather than skimming it.

Substitutions

• Vodka in place of țuică, which gives a cleaner infusion.
• Morello cherries, which are properly sour.
• Less sugar for a drier liqueur.

Variations

• Afinată is the same method with wild blueberries.
• The Portuguese ginjinha and Croatian višnjevac are close relatives.

History

Households steep sour cherries in sugar and brandy through the summer, and open the jars for the winter holidays.

Frequently asked questions

What is Vișinată?

Vișinată is a wine & spirit from Romania: sour-cherry liqueur macerated with sugar and spirit. Households steep sour cherries in sugar and brandy through the summer, and open the jars for the winter holidays.

How long does Vișinată take to make?

Vișinată takes 20 min plus 6 weeks steeping of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes makes about 1.5 litres. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Vișinată?

Yes, within limits. Vodka in place of țuică, which gives a cleaner infusion. Morello cherries, which are properly sour. Less sugar for a drier liqueur.

What is the most important thing to get right in Vișinată?

Cover the jar with muslin rather than a lid and stand it in the sun for about two weeks. The sugar draws the juice out of the cherries and a syrup forms — this first sun stage is what Romanian households do and it is why the liqueur comes out so intensely coloured.