Socată facts for kids
Socată (say "so-KAH-tah") is a super popular and refreshing drink from a region called the Balkans in Southeast Europe. It's also known as suc de soc in Romanian, which means "elder juice." This yummy drink is made from the beautiful flowers of the European elderberry plant. This plant is also called elder, and its scientific name is Sambucus nigra.
Socată is usually a non-alcoholic or very low-alcohol drink. It can be fizzy or not, depending on how it's made. It gets its special taste and fizz from a natural process called fermentation. This happens when elder flowers are mixed with lemon and sugar (or sometimes honey).
Contents
What is Socată Made Of?
Socată is created by letting elder flowers naturally ferment. This means tiny living things, like yeast, work on the sugar. They turn it into a little bit of alcohol and bubbles.
You can add other things to make it even tastier. Some people put in raisins, slices of lemon or lime, or spices. These spices can be mint, lemon or orange peel, or even basil leaves.
Newer recipes might use dates instead of sugar or honey. They might also use limes instead of lemons. Sometimes, extra spices like saffron or ginger are added for a different flavor. If someone wants more fizz or a bit more alcohol, they might add extra yeast or rice grains.
Where is Socată Popular?
Socată is loved all over Southeast Europe. You'll find it in countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia. In some places, it's called fermentirana zova or gemišt od bazge.
It's a common drink to share with family and friends. People often make it for holidays, weekend get-togethers, or parties like birthdays and barbecues.
How to Make Socată
You can make Socată in early summer when elder flowers are fresh. But you can also make it any time of year using dried flowers.
Here's a simple way to make it:
- First, soak the elder flowers, water, and lemon slices. Let them sit for about a day.
- Then, add the other ingredients like sugar or honey.
- Let the mix sit in a covered jar for 2 to 4 days. This is when the first fermentation happens. The jar should not be completely sealed.
- After this, strain the drink to remove the flowers and fruit.
- Pour the Socată into smaller bottles.
- Keep it in the fridge. It's best to drink it within 1 or 2 days. At this point, it's usually non-alcoholic or has very little alcohol.
If you leave the bottled Socată for longer, it will get fizzier. It might also get a bit more alcohol, similar to some adult drinks. If bottles are completely sealed, they can become very fizzy!
Elder Flowers and Health
In traditional Romanian medicine, people believed elder flowers were good for you. They thought the flowers could help clean the body. They also believed they could help with breathing problems or issues with the urinary system.
The European elderberry plant grows naturally in many places. This includes North America too.
Socată-Inspired Drinks
Did you know there's a popular soda called "Fanta Shokata"? It's based on the taste of Socată! You can find it in many countries. These include Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Poland, India, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Russia.
Simple Socată Recipe
Want to try making your own? Here's a basic recipe:
- 7-10 elder flowers
- 400-500 grams of sugar
- 1-2 lemons
- 5 liters of water
Put all the ingredients in a large jar. Leave it for 4 days. Then, strain it and enjoy your homemade Socată!
