Nalewka (), plural nalewki, is a traditional alcoholic beverage from Poland.Jan Rogala (2025). 838964200X, Warsaw, Baobab. 838964200X
The name nalewka is sometimes misleadingly used for a variety of commercially produced alcohols sold in Poland, usually of low quality and alcohol content.
It could also be confused with its cognate, nalivka or nalyvka (Russian language, Ukrainian: наливка), popular in Ukraine since the 17th century and in Russia since the second half of the 16th century.
History
The first documented alcoholic herbal tinctures were created by
Hippocrates, the "father of medicine", as treatments for illnesses. During Roman times it was popular to infuse wines with spices, giving rise to
hippocras and
mulled wine. Through the following centuries, various European cultures developed many flavored alcohols using locally available fruits, herbs and spices. This was a way to preserve the flavors and medicinal properties of seasonal ingredients for use throughout the year, either as remedies or libations. Creating sweetened alcoholic tinctures gained popularity in Poland during the 16th century, possibly due to an influx of French culture brought by Henry III of France. The oldest known Polish book describing nalewka was written by
Stefan Falimierz and published in Kraków in 1534, titled
On Herbs and Their Potency (
O ziolach y o moczy gich).
From the 16th to 19th centuries the Manor houses of Polish nobility would typically produce and stock a variety of nalewki, and the recipes were passed down from generation to generation in home almanacs called "
Silva rerum". Families in the Polish nobility, known as the
Szlachta, often kept these recipes secret, and they were only given to the senior children upon the death of the father.
The production of nalewka later spread to ordinary households, and from the mid to late 19th century a large number of books were published describing processes and recipes, as well as instructions for obtaining ingredients.
Ingredients
Most nalewki have their proper name derived either from their main ingredient or from the name of their traditional place of production. Common ingredients of nalewki are fruits, herbs, spices, roots, leaves, flowers, sugar, and honey. Some examples of ingredients and the corresponding nalewka are below:
Notes
- 1.Technically some varieties of gin are also nalewki.
See also
External links
