Two Recipes for Nocino Walnut Liqueur as Part of Lazio's Agri-Food Heritage GF+DF
Thunderstorms, Bumble Bees and Drink
After a year in Rome, I suggested that we move to Contigliano. This was in 2010. I was finding it hard to learn Italian more fluently, and so for purposes of both culture and language, we picked up and moved to the country. I wanted to go all in.
We rented an old stone house in Contigliano Alto, the ancient part of the village, and I started a now-defunct blog called ‘Retrogusto’. A year or so into my celiac disease diagnosis, I could only cook gluten-free food so I wasn’t very confident about what I was publishing because I wondered who would be interested in Italian recipes that were gluten-free. But I kept going, because I wanted to document my experience, and mainly because I wanted to write about food.
Among the first posts that I published were these two recipes for the Nocino that I made a few weeks ago now, and I share them with you even if the time for its preparation has passed. You might be tempted to try them at some point or even look out for Nocino while dining in Italy.
Nocino (pronounced no-CHEE-no) is a traditional liqueur or ‘digestivo’ obtained from the bright green husk of the mature walnut fruit. The addition of spices such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and citrus peel together with pure alcohol creates an infusion that reaches maturation and comes into balance near All Saints Day / Ognisanti or tutti i Santi. As the air starts to chill, it is ready to compliment the festive tables, heavier meals, sweet recipes, and traditional spicy desserts of the colder months. A well-rounded Nocino, like some well-rounded people I know, possesses the characteristics of brilliance, moderate density, and sweetness.
Here in Rieti, in the heart of Sabina, is where this deep warming and syrupy elixir pairs perfectly with traditional Christmas treats such as i terzetti and la nociata aka la copeta, where walnuts are also the main ingredient. A deep brown bottle is always lurking in a cabinet or placed proudly in the middle of the table for purposes of gastronomy and hospitality so that hosts and guests can enjoy this harmonious bouquet of walnut as they pat their bellies by the fire. And the presence of this digestivo at the end of each meal is no coincidence.
Nocino is typically prepared on the 24th of June which is the feast of St. John the Baptist or San Giovanni occurring on the Summer Solstice when the medicinal properties of the walnut tree are at their most ideal state for this infusion. The said husks, are traditionally collected on the evening of the 23rd during what herbalists call the ‘balsamic time’ to take advantage of the evening dew which adds additional elements of wellness, healing, and manifestation. The dew forming on this night, together with the curative characteristics of the walnut, are still believed to benefit gastrointestinal disorders and the digestive system as a whole. This same dew is present in St. John’s Eve folklore and rituals throughout Europe.
“The walnut husk is the fleshy part of the walnut fruit (Juglans regia L.) that covers the shell enclosing the edible kernel. When ripe, walnut husk has a green color that darkens over time. Shell and husk are discarded, causing environmental pollution. The green husks of the walnut fruit are the basic material for the traditional walnut liqueur, a wholesome alcoholic drink, which is rich in phenolic compounds and vitamins. Additionally, the husks have been used since ancient times in traditional medicine and for the treatment of various diseases such as microbial infections, stomachache, thyroid dysfunctions, heart diseases and sinusitis.” - Green Husk of Walnuts (Juglans regia L.) from Southern Italy as a Valuable Source for the Recovery of Glucans and Pectins – University of Calabria
When cutting the fruit into four pieces to prepare these recipes, the medicinal properties of the white tissues and sap of the kernel made from cells that are rich in essential oils, vitamins, and other active ingredients are apparent to the naked eye. The precursory act of climbing the ladder to pick the fruit amongst the beautiful and heady perfume given off by the husks of this tree is an olfactory experience, to say the least. You will want to put them to your nose and inhale before gently placing them into a basket.
Through unproven folklore we know that Nocino and its many versions may have originated in Roman Britain, diffusing down through France and into Italy through Liguria and the Po River Valley of Emilia Romagna where this drink ultimately took its crown. The further diffusion of Nocino and the practice of its preparation into Northern and Central Italy as well as the Apennine backbone of the South (and anywhere you can find a walnut tree growing) is no surprise.
Here, I wonder and speculate if versions of this preparation rode in on the back of bonfire-burning Celts who worshipped solar deities and followed the same paths down through France and into the Po River Valley creating settlements as far as Southern Umbria. Archaeological evidence has also recorded their presence in the Tiber Valley and their battles with Rome. And with this romantic notion, probably rising from my Irishness, one can dare to imagine that this is why Lazio, and more specifically Rieti and Frosinone might have officially claimed Nocino as a certified part of their Agri-food heritage.
“PAT (Prodotti Agroalimentari Tradizionali or Traditional Agri-Food Products ) are defined as the characteristic agro-food products of a territory and which, in the light of a consolidated and constant local traditional production, deserve to find a value on the market. We are talking about niche productions, concerning limited geographical areas, characterized by a basically seasonal offer and which do not have the strength to enter the circuits of large-scale distribution. The PATs are established pursuant to art. 8, paragraph 1 of Legislative Decree n.173 of 1998, which establishes the importance of enhancing the gastronomic heritage and introduces the notion of traditional product as a type of product intended for the human diet and strictly conditioned by factors such as tradition, territory, raw materials and production techniques; the PAT denomination, in other words, offers the consumer guarantees in terms of product typicality, linking its production and processing to specific traditional methods.”
And here in Rieti, not far from those ancient Umbrian-Celtic settlements is where Nocino is widely prepared in a sacred way so that it can be served in country homes and restaurants even throughout the year. The recipes that you will find below are also sacred in our house because my late father-in-law was named Giovanni and we use the walnuts from a tree that he planted to prepare Nocino on the day for which he was named. Saint days dictate a lot in Italy including what, how, and when we consume food. Here in the Holy Valley of Rieti, we also take pride in the presence of St. Francis and the Franciscan order whose robe color is reminiscent of this drink. And where you find monks, you tend to find the distillation of nature for medicinal use so the local practice of making Nocino may have also rode in on this horse.
When my mother-in-law first guided me through these recipes so many years ago, we ceremoniously assembled the ingredients on the ceramic table that my father-in-law bought in Deruta, Umbria a few days before his passing. I had entitled my blog post-Thunderstorms, Mutant Bumble Bees, and Drink because those things were present on that day.
‘The other day a thunderstorm crawled over the side of the mountains into the silent hazy afternoon and sent its cool breath through our windows. A fly stirred in the corner, and a mutant bumble bee flew in through the window, I ducked under a blanket in the corner of the room and screamed, it left and then the phone rang. It was time to make Nocino.’
Let me tell you a little something about Nocino. It's deep. It's dark. It's nutty, bitter, brown, sticky, spicy, and sweet all at the same. As a digestivo that warms one's throat and paints your insides fuzzy with its strength, it is best enjoyed in the colder days with my three favorite f's - full stomach, fire, and friends.’
Riccardo and I would move to Calabria for an employment opportunity a few weeks before it was time to make Nocino again, and because life carried us in a different direction, we never again found ourselves in Contigliano on the 24th of June to participate in this ritual. Until now.
This year, I took over the task of making the Nocino, and funny enough, there was also a thunderstorm on this day. The first recipe that you will find below is my mother-in-law’s recipe which she ‘just learned around’ and it uses red wine and pure alcohol. There are no spices and relies exclusively on the perfume of the walnut. It’s softer and it’s the one I prefer. The second recipe uses pure alcohol only and embodies the many characteristics detailed above. This one comes from Linda, a seemingly mythical family friend, and I recently discovered from a social media exchange with food writer Emiko Davies that this is Pellegrino Artusi’s recipe as it’s the one that she uses too. Linda was a professoressa of home economics so this makes complete sense.
There are, in fact, a myriad of traditional recipes for Nocino to be found online which are similar at the core but vary in their use of sugar and spice, citrus peels, and coffee beans. In these recipes, you can also find a few interesting and random surprises. The alcohol bases range from pure alcohol 95% to red and white wine, grappa, and brandy. Recipes and maturing times differ from family to village to give each bottle its unique character.
On the website of the Ordine del Nocino Modinese, which you can also translate into English, you will find many family recipes that hail from this region. They will easily serve as a point of inspiration for next year’s planned experimentation so that I might create my own personal recipe.
During this time, I will talk more in-depth about the common European rites and rituals surrounding the Summer Solstice and St. John the Baptist which you might find as interesting as I do.
In the meantime, I hope that some of you might gain enough inspiration to join me next year for more insight, story, and a communal Nocino-making session.
Nocino Walnut Liqueur GF + DF
ANTONIA’S RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
40 ripe walnuts
2 L red wine*
1 L pure alcohol, 95%*
1kg of white sugar
TOOLS:
A 4-5 L glass bottle*
Cotton muslin gauze, cheesecloth, organic cotton, or coffee filters
Glass bottles and their taps for storage
Gloves*
METHOD:
Manually harvest your ripe green walnut fruit from the outer exposed branches of a walnut tree toward the end of June. Preferably on the evening of the 23rd for preparation on the 24th in celebration of the Summer Solstice and St. John the Baptist. Leave them outside overnight to collect some dew.
Cut the fruit into 4 sections using a non-metal knife of wood or ceramic. Put the fruit into the large glass bottle and then pour in the wine. Close the bottle tightly and let it sit in a cool dark space for 40 days.
Add the sugar and the alcohol to the bottle and let it rest for another 40 days shaking occasionally.
Filter twice and pour into glass storage bottles. Mature as needed, but the longer the better. Ideally, it is not ready before the days in and around November 1st, which is all Saint’s Day.
NOTES:
The glass bottle that we use is an empty wine bottle of 4-5 liters. Use a cap or cork to ensure that the bottle is airtight. Preserving containers with plastic rims are not recommended.
It is recommended that you use gloves for this preparation as the fruit of the walnut stains the hands. It is my opinion that things like latex and plastic can interfere with the purity of this process so try to opt for gloves made of natural materials.
It is recommended that you use pure alcohol 95%, but you can use good vodka as a substitute in countries where pure alcohol is illegal.
The red table wine we use is made locally by a friend who uses a Sangiovese grape. In the past, we have also used an Orvieto Classico. A local red wine true to the location of the walnuts is best. Alternatively, you might try a dry red wine from Central Italy or Emilia Romagna DOC.
LINDA + PELLEGRINO ARTUSI’S RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
30 unripe walnuts
1.5 L of pure alcohol, 95%
750g of white sugar
7-10 cloves
2g of cinnamon
The peel of one organic unwaxed lemon
400 mL of water*
TOOLS:
A 4-5 L glass bottle*
Cotton muslin gauze, cheesecloth, organic cotton, or coffee filters
Glass bottles and their taps for storage
Gloves*
METHOD:
Manually harvest your ripe green walnut fruit from the outer exposed branches of a walnut tree toward the end of June. Preferably on the evening of the 23rd for preparation on the 24th in celebration of the Summer Solstice and St. John the Baptist. Leave them outside overnight to collect some dew.
Cut the fruit into 4 sections using a non-metal knife of wood or ceramic. Put the fruit into the large glass bottle and cover it with the alcohol and then add the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and organic lemon peel. Close tightly and let it sit in the sun for 40 days. Shake occasionally and check the flavor toward the end of this time. Add water if necessary.*
Filter twice and pour into glass storage bottles. Mature as needed, but the longer the better. Ideally, it is not ready before the days in and around November 1st, which is all Saint’s Day.
NOTES:
The glass bottle that we use is an empty wine bottle of 4-5 liters. Use a cap or cork to ensure that the bottle is airtight. Preserving containers with plastic rims are not recommended.
It is recommended that you use gloves in the preparation as the fruit of the walnut stains the hands. It is my opinion that things like latex and plastic can interfere with the purity of this process so try to opt for gloves made of natural materials.
It is recommended that you use pure alcohol 95%, but you can use good vodka as a substitute in countries where pure alcohol is illegal.
Taste your Nocino toward the end of the first 40 days. You can add a cup or so of water to suit your own palette but this is completely up to you.