Anyone in a mood for a nice sweet drink?...
Well Portugal is known as a country of wine lovers and winemakers, known
since the Roman Empire-era; the Romans immediately associated Portugal
with they God of Wine Bacchus. Today, many Portuguese wines are known as
some of the world's best!
So let us introduce you this one, the
"Ginjinha" or simply "Ginja", is a liqueur made by infusing "ginja
berries", (sour cherry) in alcohol (aguardente (a brandy like drink) is
used) and addi
ng sugar together with
other ingredients. Ginjinha is served in a small cup with a piece of the
fruit in the bottom of it (in some regions like in the picturesque town
of Óbidos the cup is made of chocolate, you drink the liqueur and in
the end you eat the cup... yummy enh?!).
It is a favourite liqueur
of many Portuguese and a typical drink in Lisbon, Alcobaça and Óbidos.
But other regions produce the "ginja". And you can made it at home, if
you find time and patience for the process, so here it is how we do
it... in PT Style!
INGREDIENTS
- 400g of ripe sour cherries
- 300ml brandy (if you can use the "aguardente" better)
- 100ml red wine
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 400g Sugar
PREPARATION
In a large wide-mouthed bottle put healthy cherries, washed and without
stalk, brandy, wine, cinnamon and cloves. Leave to infuse 2 weeks in a
dark place, stirring 2 in 2 days.
At the end of two weeks add the
sugar and let stand 1 month, stirring the flask to dissolve the sugar of
2 within 2 days at the beginning.
Wanting the "ginjinha" without
the cherries, strain through filter paper (coffee filter) to the desired
glass bottle. Wanting with cherries, add some sour cherries (maximum
1/4 of the bottle).
HEY... but don't you get drunk!!! :)
