Directions
The Palinka Bum Bum cocktail is a drink born by chance at the wedding of a dear friend of Romanian origin, whose mother had prepared liters of alcohol to cheer up the spirits of the guests. And among these spirits, there was a bottle of handcrafted Palinka made in Romania at every table: a real stroke of genius. If you don’t know palinka you have to try it, it is a Romanian brandy made with wine or fruit, such as slivovitz and schnapps, all spirits that can be produced from the distillation of plums, apples, pears, apricots, or even grapes. Talking about palinka in Romania is like talking about grappa to us Italians and for this, I thank Mrs. Catalina who made me discover this Romanian liquid treasure.
But the dear friend was getting married to an Abruzzese and therefore there was certainly no shortage of bottles of Abruzzese ratafia, there were also gentian ones, but the marriage with the Ratafia was a success.
The cocktail itself is very simple and the ingredients are easy to find: we wanted to create a cocktail that would unite Italy and Romania, two countries that are ever closer and closer. Palinka, Abruzzese ratafia, tonic water, a little nutmeg to give a spicy touch, 2 drops of angostura, and lime juice to cut the overall sweetness of the drink. Overall it is a very drinkable cocktail, played on fruity and delicate tones, easy to drink, with a light and inviting alcohol content.
Ingredients and doses to make the Palinka Bum Bum cocktail
- 4 cl of palinka
- 1.5 cl of Abruzzo ratafia
- 2 drops of Angostura
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 2 cl of lemon juice
- 8 cl of tonic water
- assorted berries and strawberries, but you can also use grapes
How to make the Palinka Bum Bum cocktail
Squeeze the lime and strain the juice. Chop the ice and put it in a glass, alternating berries, strawberry wedges, or grapes cut in half. Quickly shake the palinka with the lime juice, a pinch of nutmeg, 2 drops of Angostura, and the Abruzzese ratafia in a shaker with ice, and pour into the glass, and fill with tonic water. Done, finished, the cocktail is ready to give you a lot of joy and will to live.
Food Pairings
Paella, chicken curry, spicy chicken wings, fish tacos, sweet and sour pork, Cantonese rice.
