After some heavy storms early this week, we were again cursed with detritus from our neighbor’s awful black walnut tree. Sticks, branches, larger limbs, and some immature walnuts, strewn around the yard. Because black walnuts are 100 times worse than lemons, I decided to turn them into a potent, bitter drink that I hope will be 100 times better than lemonade. Nocino is a traditional bittersweet liqueur from Emilia-Romagna that combines immature walnuts with spices and alcohol.
It’s important to select only the freshest walnuts – there should be no brown spots or squirrel nibbles. English walnuts are more commonly used, but black walnuts are fine, too. This time of year, the walnuts haven’t yet formed their woody shells, and the flesh surrounding the nut is crisp and green. They’re pretty easy to slice into quarters with a heavy knife. Traditionally, nocino is made on or around June 23, so I’m just a bit ahead of the curve. As more walnuts fall over the coming weeks, I’ll add them to the jars.
For each pint jar, here’s the recipe:
Nocino
11 immature Black Walnuts, halved or quartered (It’s traditional to use an odd number of nuts)
1/2 cup sugar
3 juniper berries
2 cloves
1/4 vanilla bean
zest of 1/2 large lemon in wide strips
3 allspice berries
Vodka to fill the jar (I used 80-prood Svedka)
During the next month, I’ll shake the jars once a day. The liquid will turn from clear to brown to greenish-black, and then I’ll strain out the solids and run the liqueur through a coffee filter. Over the months, the bitterness of the nocino will subside into what I hope will be a delightful sipping liqueur. I’ve also read that it’s a great addition to a batch of ice cream! My bitterness for the walnut tree, however, will never die.
Wow, really? I’m surprised that this product isn’t a bit dangerous. The green husks from mature walnuts, when poured by the bushel into a pond, will float every fish for easy pickings. That’s some strong tonic.
Black walnuts are nasty. Good luck!
I really do hate black walnuts for botanical reasons, so this is more of a novelty project than anything else. Of course, if it’s good, I’d hate to have to wait another year to have more, hence the two jars.
I live in italy and it’s tradition to gather the walnuts on the evening of june 24th by the light of the moon (tales say barefoot young maidens actually).
Be sure to wear gloves when preparing the walnuts as the stains take days of scrubbing to get out.
If you don’t add simple sugar syrup then its quite potent but we would normally add the syrup. the more it ages the better it is and its great on vanilla ice cream!
Am awaiting delivery of a bag of green walnuts, promised for this coming weekend. Had never heard of this liqueur. If I’ve enough fruit I’ll definitely try this. Got the classic pickled walnuts and walnut marmalade (from an old book I’ve found) planned.
Never heard of making a liquor out of this. My grandfather had a huge tree on the edge of his seven acres and used to harvest the nuts for ice cream every year.
Ditto on the gloves–your hands will be black for days if not weeks otherwise!
I’ve pondered making this for years, so I look forward to reading your progress report.
My neighbor has a BW tree, so I’ve learned more than I want to know about them. They exude substances that kill certiain plants, such as tomatoes. Squirrels bury them in the strangest places. They are tasty, but oh so difficult to get into! We put them on the driveway and let the car do the cracking.
I’ll be trying it now too – THANKS!!! Just wish I had Juniper berries…
~Tammy from Michigan
Hi Tammy, Juniper berries aren’t in the traditional recipe, so you could easily go without them. I’ve found them at Penzey’s Spices, Whole Foods, World Market and Fresh Market.
Living in Italy I have been making nocino for the past five years and can say that in Italy the normal variations may include a touch of one or more of the following: fresh lemon peel, a single cinnamon stick, a few whole cloves, a few coffee beans.
As I mentioned before the majority of recipes call for simple syrup to be added after filtering the walnuts from the alcohol with amounts of water vs sugar varied according to personal preference. Most homemade liqueurs are best consumed within a year or so with nocino being the exception, the more it ages the better it is and is perfect on cold winter nights by the fire.
If anyone is curious there is a website of “The Order of Nocino of Modena” with recipes for nocino, history, use in cooking etc which is of course in italian but is fun to go through with a little patience and a good translating program. The website is: http://www.ordinedelnocinomodenese.it/index.htm
[...] 28, 2011 by Joe It’s been over a week since I started the nocino, so we thought it was high time for a check-in. After the first day, the liquid turned green-black [...]
Last handful of green walnuts now steeping in quart jar spiced vodka, I could feel the shells were starting to form inside but they cut into quarters OK, so presume that will not affect the nocino in a bad way. Thanks for the recipe inspiration.