Learning to make Krupnik - A Honey Cordial

Why is my second blog post about making krupnik you ask? First, because it's part of my origin story into becoming a beekeeper. And second, learning to make krupnik is one of several ways of understanding the symbiotic relationship of the products that honey bees produce (in this case honey) and the end products that we humans produce from the bee hive for our necessity and/or enjoyment.

Learning to make krupnik from Fr. Czeslaw Krysa, Rector at St Casimir's Church in Buffalo, New York has been an honor and privilege. Fr. Krysa is an expert in Polish family customs and traditions that he religiously practices (no pun intended). The Krysa family krupnik recipe has been passed down several generations, it has been perfected over the years.  It is a time honored family tradition made every Christmas season. Fr. Krysa for the first time the book "A Polish Christmas Eve" Fr. Krysa publishes the secrets of his family krupnik recipe

Before I go into the ingredients and instructions of making krupnik, you need to understand a little more about what krupnik is. In the English language, one word can have multiple meanings. The Polish  language isn't any different. The word krupnik in Polish not only is the very honey cordial drink this article is about, but also a name of a barley soup.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups honey

½ cup water

1 tablespoon bitters. *

1 lemon rind, pith removed, sliced into thin strips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (1vanilla bean)

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (¼ nutmeg)

1 teaspoon ground cloves (6 whole cloves)

1 – 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (4 cinnamon sticks)

2 quarts 80 proof vodka

·       Bitters – Liquor that is flavored with the sharp pungent taste of plant extracts (gentian, wormwood) and is used as an additive in cocktails or as a medicinal substance to promote appetite or digestion.

INSTRUCTIONS – PART 1

      Step 1: Break cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean into 2 to 3-inch pieces.

      Step 2: If necessary, grind all whole spices.

      Step 3: Bring prepared wormwood tea to a slow boil.

      Step 4: Add honey, spices and lemon rind.

      Step 5: Let simmer for at least ½ hour.

      Step 6: Remove from heat and cool.
Step 7: Strain cold mixture into a 2-gallon pot with a tight-fitting cover.
Step 8: Bring honey-herb-spice mixture to a slow boil and simmer.
Step 9: In a separate pot with the lid on, bring vodka to almost boiling.
Step 10: After vodka reached near boiling, turn burners off and remove both mixtures from stove.
Step 11: Away from the stove in a well-ventilated area (preferably outside), carefully pour vodka into honey mixture (the mixture will foam violently). 
Step 12: Immediately place the lid on the mixture.
Step 13: Cool to room temperature. Usually wait one week.

INSTRUCTIONS – PART 2

Step 1: In one week or when at room temperature, pour mixture into gallon bottle and allow to settle for at least one week.

      Step 2:  Carefully pour off or siphon clear liquid into bottles, leaving the dregs (cloudy mixture of spices) behind.
Step 3:The dregs (undissolved herbs, spices, etc.at the bottom) may be slowly filtered through a paper coffee filter folded into a cone and placed in a funnel. Filtering takes some time and the filters need to be changed each time more of the dregs are added.

NA ZDROWIE!!!

TO YOUR HEALTH!!!

Krupnik Apprentices 2020