The Triple P’s of Palinka
As a military couple who have lived and traveled abroad, we had the fortunate opportunity to taste the country of Hungary’s famous brandy—known as Palinka. I talk about our experience with Palinka in Chapter 5 of our book, Soldier and Spouse and Their Traveling House, where we were “Hungary for Thanksgiving.” Naïve and already inebriated at the time of consuming of our Palinka, we never took the time to appreciate what we were drinking!
Palinka is a strong alcoholic beverage, which is legally accepted as a Hungarian specialty, and must be brewed in Hungary to claim its name. A kind of brandy, it is fermented solely from fruit and does not contain additional ingredients; these fruits must both have been grown in and be indigenous to the Carpathian Basin. When it comes to Palinka, there is a triple “P” association, which makes this drink special and unique: its potency, the people that drink it, and its popularity. The Triple P’s are what makes Palinka, well Palinka, and a treasure to the proud Hungarians!
First, its potency: Palinka is a double-distilled brandy, with a very high alcohol content of 40% to 70% ABV (alcohol by volume), so you can see why it might be popular with those after a strong drink! (Definitely, don’t pull a novice army couple move—like yours truly—while traveling abroad and take shots of it only after several rounds of beer and wine!) It can be made from pretty much any fruit which could be used for jam (indeed, this is a popular saying in Hungary), so plums, apricots, pears, sour cherries, mulberries, and apples can be used to ferment it. It can also be made from walnuts and chestnuts, and the drink is world-famous, with many variations and types of Palinka. The quality of the drink depends very much on the quality of the fruit used, so it’s important for the brewers to choose fruits with rich, strong flavors in order to get a decent tasting version.
One of us is more photogenic than the other after a round of Palinka!
In terms of the people who drink Palinka now, it is known and enjoyed across the globe, and is a must-try for anyone visiting Hungary. For us Traveling Houses—while on a pub crawl in Budapest (Hungary’s capital)—I rose up from my bar seat, walked to my barkeep, and asked him for a shot of his most famous local specialty. Then, he began pouring the famed Palinka into our shot glasses. That said, with such a high alcohol content and a very strong flavor, it may prove something of an acquired taste to the palate of a white wine drinker, or someone who prefers a gentle red. Certainly, for some foreigners (like me), it is more like a kick in the teeth! But despite this, it has been enjoyed for centuries.
Palinka dates back to the 14th Century, which demonstrates its popularity and longevity, although it is originally believed to have been developed for medical remedies. Even when it became a social drink, it was once reserved for the wealthy, and laws prevented it from being brewed by peasants. Despite this, illegal brewing continued throughout the years, as peasants wanted to make use of their fruit otherwise going to waste from not being sold at the markets. It wasn’t until the 17th Century that the term Palinka was used strictly for fruit brandies, rather than those made with wheat or other bread products.
Palinka is an incredibly popular drink, both in Hungary and throughout the world. In Hungary, it has two dedicated festivals per year: the Budapest Palinka and Sausage Festival (in October), and the Budapest Palinka Festival (in May). Apricot Palinka is used as a present for the British Royal Family whenever they visit Hungary—which surely in itself is reason enough for them to do so!
The morning after our Palinka encounter!
Palinka may be an acquired taste, but the chance to try something so steeped in Hungarian tradition and history should not be passed up, although caution is advised for light drinkers, and you may find your culturally broadening experience comes with a nasty headache the next day! Trust me, I know!
Check out more blogs about our travels here.
Don’t forget to like, comment, and share this blog article!
Traveling Houses
I can’t wait to read your book! This was a great story and love the photos!!