Nalewka facts for kids

A variety of nalewka recipes in various stages of preparation

Nalewka (pronounced na-LEF-ka) is a special traditional drink from Poland. It's made by soaking different ingredients in strong alcohol, like vodka. People often use fruits, herbs, spices, roots, sugar, and honey to give it flavor.

Unlike many other sweet drinks, nalewka is usually aged for a while. This makes it colorful and sometimes a bit cloudy. It tastes similar to fruit liqueurs but is often sweeter and doesn't have a very strong alcohol taste. The name nalewka is even being registered for special recognition in the European Union.

History of Nalewka

Early Beginnings

The idea of soaking herbs in alcohol to make drinks started a long time ago. An ancient Greek doctor named Hippocrates (often called the "father of medicine") made herbal drinks to help people who were sick. Later, in Roman times, people enjoyed adding spices to their wines.

Nalewka in Poland

Making sweet, flavored drinks became popular in Poland around the 1500s. This might have happened because of new ideas from France. The oldest known Polish book about nalewka was written by Stefan Falimierz in 1534. It was called On Herbs and Their Potency.

For many centuries, from the 1500s to the 1800s, noble families in Poland often made and kept many different kinds of nalewka in their large homes. They wrote down their secret recipes in special family books called "Silva rerum". These recipes were often kept very private and passed down only to the oldest children when a parent passed away. Later, making nalewka became popular in regular homes too. Many books were published in the late 1800s, sharing recipes and how to make these drinks.

What's in Nalewka?

The color of coffee-based nalewka after three years of aging, half of that time in a wooden barrel

Most nalewkas get their name from their main ingredient or the place where they were traditionally made. People use many different things to flavor nalewka, including fruits, herbs, spices, roots, leaves, flowers, sugar, and honey.

Here are some examples of ingredients and the nalewka names:

• Anise (anyżówka)
• Apricots (morelówka)
• Blackberry (jeżynówka)
• Blackcurrants (porzeczkówka)
• Cherries (wiśniówka)
• Chokeberries (aroniówka)
• Common hawthorn (głogówka)
• Cornus mas (dereniówka)
• Ginger (imbirówka)
• Green walnuts (orzechówka)
• Juniper (jałowcówka)
• Lemon (cytrynówka)
• Quince (pigwówka)
• Raspberry (malinówka)
• Wormwood (piołunówka)

Images for kids

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  The color of coffee-based nalewka after three years of aging, half of that time in a wooden barrel

See also

In Spanish: Nalewka para niños