Kummel drink: history, types, how to drink + recipe at home
The strong flavored product, made on the basis of cumin and vodka, became famous as a favorite drink of many European writers and royalty, as well as a healing agent for many diseases.
Different countries prepare and drink it in their own way: hence the numerous types of Kummel.
History of the Kummel drink
There is no exact information about the origin of cumin tincture. According to some reports, the primacy of Kummel's invention belongs to the Dutch, who treated the sick king with it.
Other data speaks in favor of the Germans.
According to the third version, the drink owes its appearance to the knights of the Order of Livonia, who took refuge in the Baltic States.
It is only known for certain that the first documented recipe for caraway alcohol dates back to the early 16th century, and its homeland is located somewhere in Northern Europe.
Kummel began to be produced in industrial volumes in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Production was established at the Bols factory in Amsterdam. The oldest Dutch distillery is still in operation today, but no longer produces cumin alcohol.
Production was organized in Riga, where the drink quickly took root and was produced for many decades. The peculiarity of the Russian version is the pronounced sweetness and increased concentration of cumin, for which the product was nicknamed "Double Kummel".
In the 19th century, Allasch Kummel was produced in the vicinity of Riga. Subsequently, the liqueurs "Allasch Kummel" and "Allasch Kummel with molasses" were developed on its basis. The first one was a mixture of aromatic infusions of cumin, coriander and lemon, while the second one included oils of the same plants.
Later, the drink was produced in many countries around the world: Poland, England, Germany, Denmark, the USA, France, etc. Traditional Kummel according to an old Danish recipe is produced under the Wolfschmidt brand.
Varieties of Kummel
The classic drink contains cumin, anise, dill and pure grain alcohol. Different localities added their own original additives to the recipe at different times: essential oils, gold grains, mint, citrus peels, fennel, cloves, violet root, wormwood, coriander...
All versions of the drink can be divided into 2 groups:
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Sweet liqueurs
Oily, viscous, aromatic, with a pungent flavor.
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Bitter tinctures
Fiery, burning, tart, reminiscent of vodka, with a spicy aroma.
Usually caraway alcohol is colorless, the strength can vary from 30-35 to 50-70 degrees.
How to drink Kümmel
It is customary to drink Kummel with ice, although in some countries it is warmed up. Also, the tincture is drunk with a piece of sugar or lime juice.
Mild and non-spicy meat, simple pastries, cheese, vegetables are suitable as appetizers.
Traditional Kümmel recipe
The amount and list of ingredients can be adjusted at your discretion. Do not confuse anise with star anise: they have a similar flavor, but they are completely different plants. The same goes for violet root: it is not related to the flowers called "pansy eyes", it is actually an iris rhizome.
Instead of orange peel, which is difficult to find, you can take the zest of lemon or other citrus fruits.
If desired, add honey or sugar (½ cup) to the finished drink, then let the Kummel brew for another 1-2 days and filter again.
Ingredients
Vodka - 3 glasses (700-800 ml)
Caraway seeds - 30 g
Fennel seeds - ¼ teaspoon
Cloves - 2 pcs.
Water - ½ cup
Sugar - 2/3 cup (150-200 g)
The method of preparation
Crush the seeds with a pestle. Then add the crushed mass and cloves to a bottle of vodka, shake well.
Close the bottle tightly and let stand for 24 hours.
Remove the cloves and leave for 2-3 weeks in a cool, dark place. Shake from time to time.
After the initial ripening, the seeds should be filtered out of the drink in any way possible.
Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and heat to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Add the resulting sugar syrup to the tincture and stir well again.
Keep the drink for another 1-2 months in a cool, dark place. Shake from time to time. Done!
Update: 18.08.2020
Category: Other alcohol