In Znesinnia, where the Jam Factory art centre stands today, several generations of the Kronik family made rum, liqueurs and rosolis. Moses Kronik bought the plot here back in 1826. In the 1930s the firm “Józef Kronik i Syn” specialised in kosher drinks and Palestinian wines. For Passover it produced kosher slivovitz, and among its drinks was the kosher liqueur “Szabasowa”.
Slivovitz is a plum spirit, and it was made at the factory. For home we suggest a simpler relative – plum cordial: ripe plums, sugar and vodka, and a few weeks of patience. To make it kosher for Passover, all ingredients and utensils must be free of chametz.
About 1 l · 20 min work + 6–8 weeks · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 1 kg ripe plums (Hungarian blue plums are best)
- 200–300 g sugar
- 0.5 l vodka, 40%
- optional: 1 cinnamon stick
Method
- Wash the plums and dry them thoroughly: extra water spoils the taste.
- Halve them and remove the stones.
- Layer the plums in a glass jar with the sugar.
- Pour over vodka to cover the fruit completely. Add the cinnamon and seal tightly.
- Leave for 4–6 weeks in a warm, dark place, shaking every few days, until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Strain, bottle and leave to rest for at least another 2 weeks.
Tips
- The sweeter and riper the plums, the less sugar you need. Start with 200 g and add more at the end if necessary.
- Don’t throw away the plums from the cordial: they are delicious with ice cream or cheese pancakes.
- For Passover, look for vodka marked “kosher for Passover” and use utensils that have not been in contact with chametz.
About the recipe
The Kroniks’ slivovitz was a factory spirit, and its recipe has not survived. The cordial is a home version of the same flavour.