The summer solstice and the tradition of ratafia
With the arrival of the summer solstice, it’s the perfect time to celebrate this time of year with a delicious homemade ratafia. This traditional drink is popular in many regions and has a long history dating back centuries. Ratafia is an alcoholic drink flavored with herbs, spices and fruits, and is known for its digestive and medicinal properties.
A homemade ratafia with local ingredients
This year, we propose to make a homemade ratafia with local ingredients, using only botanical elements that can be found in our area. This will allow us to create a unique and authentic ratafia, with a touch of our land. We will avoid exotic ingredients and focus on the plants and fruits we will find on our nature tour.
A tour through nature
We will start our route in Portalàs d’Estamariu and walk to the Hosti bridge, passing through the Espinalt field and the Molí bridge. This three-kilometer route will take us through different landscapes, from sunny coasts to river banks. Along the way, we will collect the plants and fruits that we will use to make our homemade ratafia.
Local ingredients for an authentic ratafia
Among the ingredients we will collect, we will find sajolida, orange, rudder, lavender, buckthorn, dogwoods, chamomile, berbena, valerian, St. John’s wort, rosemary, oak flower, elder flower, mallow flowers, mint, sage, peach leaves and fennel In addition, we will add green walnuts, an essential ingredient for ratafia. All these botanical elements will bring unique aromas and flavors to our drink.
The maceration process and the final result
Once we have collected all the ingredients, we will macerate them in reduced brandy and add a little brown sugar syrup to give it a sweet touch. We will let the mixture rest for forty days, exposed to the sun and the serenity. This process will allow the flavors and aromas to merge and for the ratafia to acquire its characteristic flavor.
After forty days of maceration, our homemade ratafia will be ready to be tasted. The result will be a unique and delicious drink, full of authentic flavors and with a touch of our land. Thus, we will be able to celebrate the summer solstice in the most traditional and special way.