Vin aux noix

This is an alcoholic drink made from fortified red wine, flavoured with walnuts. I first drank it in Belgium, and it is time to make it again. You can find the recipe under the "Belgium" link.

The ingredients are all lined up, ready to go, you just cut the walnuts into quarters, mix the whole lot together, and store the result in a cool, dark place for three months to steep, remembering to give it a good shake every now and then to let the flavours mix. I keep it in the downstairs laundry room so I can remember to shake it every time I go in. It's a bit late in the year to be making it, because the walnuts are starting to develop their shells under the green covering. Ideally, you should be able to stick a pin into the nut and not feel any resistance due to the shell.

Everyone has their own recipie, and since discovering that the drink exists, I have tried it in several versions made by friends, including one using walnut leaves as well as the unripe nuts. It tastes better if left to mature for a few years. In my case, there's no chance of that happening....