Nocino is a lovely dark liqueur made of unripe black walnuts. Infused with scintillating spices, fresh lemon, and vanilla beans, it's traditionally drank as a digestif and tastes like winter magic.
About 30 unripe Black Walnuts, quartered
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 whole cloves
5 allspice berries
3 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
1 star anise
1 vanilla bean, chopped into a few pieces
The peel of 1 lemon
1 whole nutmeg, broken up into chunks
6 coffee beans
1 liter of vodka
Rinse the walnuts and pat dry. Chop into quarters (you might want to wear gloves - they can stain hands and clothes!).
Have all your spices and sugar ready. Get a large clean glass jar that's big enough to hold all of the walnuts with at least one inch of space at the top. Layer walnuts, spices, and sugar in the jar. The idea is to distribute all of the ingredients as evenly as possible.
Once everything is layered in the jar, cover it with vodka, making sure to completely submerge the walnuts. There should be a little bit of space left above the liquid to leave room for shaking.
Put a lid on the jar and give it a good healthy shake.
Place Nocino in a dark, cool cupboard for about 6-8 weeks. Remember to give it a shake at least every couple days while it's macerating. It will turn a very dark green and get thick and syrupy.
After 6-8 weeks, strain the mixture and discard all the spices and walnuts. Pour the strained dark liquid into a clean jar and return to a dark, cool cupboard. Allow the Nocino to cure here for at least another few weeks. The longer it sits, the more the flavors will meld and the tannins will mellow.
Enjoy Nocino as a sipper on its own after a meal, or add one ounce to six ounces of sparkling water with a twist of lemon for a simple refreshing cocktail. It also makes an excellent Black Manhattan.
