Full of the tannins found in green walnuts, ratafia was traditionally drunk after a meal to aid digestion. Nowadays, it is also drunk with, or in, coffee, ‘on the rocks’ or with crushed ice.
Typically in Catalunya, where such a high regard is placed on food, ratafia has also found its way into the kitchen and is used in everything from starters and main courses to desserts. “It goes very well with roast meats where it contributes a multitude of flavours thanks to the 25 distinct plants it is made from,” said Àngel Portet, director of Distribucions Portet, which makes Ratafia dels Raiers.
“In baking it is used to make cakes, crème caramels or chocolates filled or flavoured with ratafia. It also goes very well in fruit salads or for soaking fruits like orange.”
The Garrotxa town of Besalú holds its annual ratafia festival on the first Sunday of December where, along with traditional music and dancing, local restaurateurs serve dishes made with the liqueur.
“We use ratafia as a liqueur in a Besalú dessert called carquinyolis, which is a sponge with hazelnuts, and also with doughnuts at Lent,” said Carme Ventura, spokeswoman for the town’s Cal Parent restaurant.
“We also make a sauce which we serve with foie, but the most common way is to use it in desserts such as mousse, ice-cream or with some type of sponge soaked in ratafia.”
Even the celebrated Catalan chef Ferran Adrià is working on a dish incorporating ratafia with walnuts and Italian cheese for his world-famous El Bulli restaurant near Roses.
Meanwhile Àngels Camós and her husband Pep Gratacos have their own ratafia project to attend to—getting through last year’s supply of her home-made brew.
Ratafia facts
• The first recorded example of ratafia dates back to 1842 from a recipe found in the Catalan area of La Selva.
• Several companies produce ratafia commercially in Catalunya. The distillery Cal Russet, in Olot, produces 170,000 bottles of Ratafia Russet a year, most of which is sold in Catalunya. People wishing to visit the distillery should email: russet@bsab.com
• Distribucions Portet, in La Pobla de Segur, Lleida, produces around 25,000 bottles of its Dels Raiers ratafia annually. Call ahead to request a half-hour tour of the distillery, followed by a tasting on 973 68 01 32 or 637 423 104, or by sending an email to ratafia@raiers.info
• For more information about the ratafia festivals in Besalú and Santa Coloma de Farners contact:
Besalú Tourist Office, tel. 972 59 12 40
Santa Coloma de Farners Town Hall, tel. 972 84 08 08
First published in November 2007
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