Plum Cordial

In Russia, closely guarded recipes for fruit liqueurs and brandies have been passed down from generation to generation, and even today Russians delight in regaling their guests with homemade nalivki and nastoiki. As sage a writer as Chekhov causes one of his characters to claim: “I can tell you truthfully…that homemade brandy is better than any champagne. After the first glass, your sense of smell enlarges, envelops your whole being. It’s a great illusion. It seems to you that you’re no lon