Does banana brandy really exist? The answer: Yes, even though it’s not exactly accurate to call it brandy, as it’s essentially a fruit distillate. What exactly is this and how did anyone come up with the idea to make brandy from bananas or other exotic fruits or even vegetables? To understand this, we may need to go back to the story of tomato brandy. In the late 1940s, certain parts of Central Europe experienced a situation where they grew such a large quantity of tomatoes that the tomatoes became unsellable and unprocessable.
Thus, the idea emerged of whether it was possible to make alcohol from tomatoes.
They quickly followed the idea with action and began experimenting. The experiment went so well that they were able to produce over three liters of fifty percent alcohol, with a pleasant taste, from a ton of well-ripened tomatoes. By utilizing the harvest and starting to make tomato brandy, they ensured that the produce was not wasted. Over time, this practice expanded to include various other vegetables in the production of brandy.
Characteristics of Banana Brandy
It is worth clarifying here that not all spirits are brandy, but all brandy is a spirit. Why is this important? Brandy can only be made in Hungary from locally grown, fermented, and distilled fruit. Exclusively from fruit. In the case of any other distillate, whether it’s pineapple, banana, orange, pomegranate, beetroot, celery, wild garlic, or even tomato, we can only refer to them as spirits. In the former case, it’s because they are not fruits originate from Hungary, and in the latter case, it’s because they are not fruits at all. Although the process used to make them is almost identical. The required quantity of vegetables or fruits for producing one liter of spirit varies based on their sugar content. Surprisingly, spirits are also made from flowers, such as lavender and elderflower. So, for those seeking unique flavors beyond the traditional plum, apricot, apple, or pear brandies, they will undoubtedly find many peculiarities.
When it comes to banana brandy, you can trace the caramelized tones of ripe bananas. Accompanied by the aroma of roasted bananas and banana chips. It’s a true specialty that we shouldn’t miss if we have the opportunity to taste it!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana
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