2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Curacao or Curaçao is an aromatic liqueur made from the dried rinds of a bitter orange species known as Laraha. The liqueur is traditionally produced on the attractive island of the same name in the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea, not far from Venezuela.
Curacao is produced without a specific color, but its manufacturers add blue, green, red or orange paint. Fans of this drink are well aware that the most popular is the blue Curacao, which is often used by bartenders to color all kinds of cocktails.
History of Curacao
Like most great inventions, so fragrant Curacao was discovered quite by accident. This happened on the beautiful island of Curacao in the distant nineteenth century. Its creator is the head of the European Senor family.
One afternoon he was sitting on the balcony of his plantation house, deep in thought. The man was worried about the orange harvest that had been harvested that day. He hoped to get large and juicy fruits, but instead they turned out to be small, dry and wrinkled.
He also heard from his assistants that their taste was very bitter. In a fit of despair, the planter picked up an orange and crushed it. To his surprise, however, a captivating bitter-sweet scent suddenly spread.
The man's discovery greatly encouraged him and he decided to try to make an alcoholic beverage from the peels of low-quality oranges. The enthusiast put in a lot of effort and conducted various experiments for a long time, until he finally got the drink we know today as Curacao.
And although these oranges were neglected in those years, today they are considered a real treasure, as they appear only on the islands. Curacao and Aruba. The hot climate, the lack of abundant rainfall and the specific local soil contribute to the extraordinary qualities of the final harvest.
Curacao production
For more than a century, this interesting liqueur has been prepared according to its original recipe. The drink is produced by the company Senior & Co, thanks to which every year between 40,000 and 60,000 liters of it appear on the market. Regarding the production technology, the manufacturers state that there is nothing complicated.
However, they prefer to keep some facts of the recipe a secret. However, it is known that in the preparation of Curacao a 115-year-old copper cauldron, a blue barrel, a silver tank and bottling devices are used.
For a start, take the dried peels of oranges. Apart from them, various spices and herbs are also used, the names of which are also not reported. The ingredients are placed in a honey pot, after which 96% alcohol is poured. The whole mixture was heated to 150 degrees and allowed to boil for 72 hours. The next step involves cooling the substance for 24 hours. The next day, the honey pot is filled with more water, which is boiled again.
Due to the high temperature values, the alcohol evaporates and then condenses on cooling devices. Here comes the time for perhaps the most annoying process of production technology - the resulting distillate is drained into the above-mentioned blue barrel. This continued for several days until the container was filled with 208 liters.
The collected liquid is very strong and if taken directly, it can seriously damage health. According to experts, the consequences can even be fatal. That is why in the silver tank the liquid is mixed with almost half a ton of sugar and water. Add a little more alcohol. In the next few days, the alcohol is filtered and finally bottled.
Curacao characteristic
As we have already established, Curacao is available in different colors, including blue, red, green and orange. The liqueur has an orange aroma, but also has pleasant bitter notes. Its taste is reminiscent of citrus, and its sweetness is intrusive. Of course, some species are not so sweet. The alcohol content usually falls in the range of 15 to 40 percent.
Selection and storage of Curacao
This type of liqueur can also be purchased in Bulgaria. It is mostly available in specialty liquor stores. It is contained in transparent glass bottles, which fully reveal the color and charm of the drink. The price of alcohol varies, usually slightly lower than that of liqueurs such as Baileys.
When buying the drink, always check its expiration date, which must be written on the label. As for the storage of Curacao - The liqueur should be kept in a dark and cool place. Remember also that the bottle must always be tightly closed. This way the aroma of the drink will last longer.
Cocktails with Curacao
Curacao can be served on its own (diluted with a little ice), but is more often added to various cocktails and especially in cocktails in layers, which attract attention with their brightly colored. It is mixed with other alcoholic beverages such as peach liqueur, tequila, vodka, gin, rum, mint and whiskey. There is a practice to combine it with soft drinks such as orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, lemonade, carbonated water and others.
Here is a cocktail recipe with Curacaowhich will captivate you with its freshness.
Necessary products: 50 ml vodka, 30 ml Blue Curacao, 150 ml sprite, a few slices of pineapple - for decoration
Method of preparation: Put ice and drinks in a blender. Mash until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Pour the resulting liquid into a special cocktail glass. Garnish with pineapple.
