Original Sicilian mandarin liqueur recipe

Also known as “mandarinetto,” mandarin liqueur is a traditional Sicilian digestive that originated as a domestic liqueur in the island’s manor and peasant homes. It was usually served to guests as a gesture of courtesy and a welcoming ritual typical of Sicilian culture.

The origin is fully in line with domestic economy: in fact, tangerine liqueur is the child of the “zero waste” philosophy typical of peasant homes of the past. From the arrival of the tangerine that was brought to Sicily from China in the 1800s, it is possible to trace the origin of this alcoholic beverage, offered during the period from Christmas through summer.

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Often also called “grandmother’s liqueur,” as it involves slow home production that respects traditional times, the preparation of tangerine liqueur consisted of true rituals to be performed as handed down from generation to generation, strictly by hand and with products from one’s own land.

To obtain a fragrant, balanced and authentic mandarin liqueur, the quality of the mandarin is the determining element: in particular, it is essential to choose the right variety of the fruit and to opt for high-end products. In addition, making it at home with selected mandarins allows you to enjoy a product that makes the difference between an artisanal liqueur and versions made industrially or with common citrus fruits.

For a mandarin liqueur made according to tradition, it is essential to use mandarins from the Sicilian territory, taking care to prefer those at the right degree of ripeness, generally reached between January and February.

Tangerine liqueur recipe

This recipe contains alcohol. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is restricted to adults (>18 years) only. Drink responsibly and in moderation.

Ingredients

For about 2 liters of liquor:

Untreated mandarins

Donna Fina

20

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Food alcohol 95-96°

1 l

Water

1 l

Sugar

1 kg

Which tangerines to use for the recipe

Not all mandarins are suitable for the preparation of this liqueur. In fact, the fruits to be preferred for making mandarinetto according to the original Sicilian recipe must be fragrant, ripe to the right point and rich in essential oils. Here are what the specific characteristics are:

• Thick, intact and very fragrant peel
• High concentration of essential oils
• Natural ripening on the plant

But why is it important to avoid unripe, overripe or processed post-harvest mandarins? In the former case, you run the risk of obtaining an acidic and unaromatic liqueur; in the latter, the peel will have lost elasticity but above all aroma and freshness.

Finally, it is important to avoid post-harvest treated mandarins as, since you also have to use the peels, you also risk taking in the chemicals used on the treated fruit while with mandarins with 100% edible peel, the fruit can be safely consumed in its entirety.

Mandarin Havana

Among the mandarins to use, you can opt for the “Havana” variety characterized by an intense and balanced aroma, a peel rich in essential oils, and a natural balance between sweetness and bitter note. This variety is perfect for a fragrant and harmonious mandarin.

Mandarin Late of Ciaculli

An excellent variety for making the mandarinetto recipe is the Mandarino Tardivo di Ciaculli, a Sicilian excellence characterized by a pronounced and persistent fragrance and a rind very rich in oils.

The aromatic difference between the common varieties of mandarin, allows the Tardivo di Ciaculli to be included among the high quality types. To obtain a good mandarin, we recommend using this variety instead of the mandarins available in supermarkets, so that you can have a better quality result in terms of both taste and aroma.

Ideal for long infusions and to obtain a traditional mandarin, it is always essential to choose untreated citrus fruits with edible peel, such as Donna Fina mandarins, of which the peel can also be consumed without health risks.

Syrup preparation

After the steeping time has elapsed, you can move on to preparing the syrup: start by pouring water and sugar into a small saucepan that you will keep on the stove until boiling. Remember to follow the doses well and balance the water and sugar. This preparation is to sweeten the mandarin without covering the aroma of the fruit. Once it reaches a boil, turn it off and let it cool.

Union, filtration and bottling

Add the syrup to the peel and alcohol mixture, stirring well, and let it sit for about 10 to 15 days, remembering to stir it every day. Once the specified time is up, you can strain it to remove the peels and decant the mixture into bottles.

The choice of mandarin: the real secret of mandarin

An authentic mandarin liqueur requires freshly picked and untreated mandarins. As anticipated, the variety of mandarin also influences the aroma and color of mandarin liqueur. Ordinary mandarins yield less aromatic results and do not reflect the tradition of grandmother’s mandarin liqueur.

That is why at Tenuta Donna Fina we are also careful about the shipping of products. We offer expedited shipping two days a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, to preserve every natural scent when our products reach the customer.

Donna Fina’s untreated mandarins: why they are indispensable

As reiterated many times, a key element to take into consideration is the choice of untreated mandarins, such as Donna Fina products. This criterion is essential since the peel is an integral part of the liqueur: in fact, during the maceration phase, waxes and treatments risk altering the taste and health safety of the mandarin.

In addition, to make homemade mandarin liqueur according to tradition, it is best to opt for unprocessed products as was once the case.

It should be noted that for a preparation such as homemade mandarin liqueur, it is necessary to use only the peel and not the pulp, for chemical and structural reasons such as the clarity of the drink, the absence of essential oils in the pulp, and its composition that would make the mandarin liqueur cloudy.

Storage, rest and service of tangerine liqueur

One of the important elements in the preservation of mandarin liqueur is the initial quality of the mandarin: in fact, this plays a role on the maturation of the liqueur. If the tangerine is old, the essential oils in the peel will be less stable and the liqueur will lose fragrance faster.

Also, not everyone knows that mandarin improves after a few weeks of rest and that time is only good for its aroma and flavor. This happens because the citrus’s aromatic molecules bind to those of alcohol and sugar more and more tightly, making the taste less pungent.

For storage, it is best to keep mandarin in the pantry between 15 and 18 degrees for at least 30 to 40 days when it is freshly bottled. After that, it can be passed to the refrigerator , which is the ideal place to keep the aromatic freshness intact. Finally, for those who prefer a thicker, syrupy consistency, it is preferable to keep it in the freezer, also because thanks to the alcohol component it will not freeze.

The maximum storage time in the freezer or refrigerator is about 3 months: remember to mark the date of preparation with a label to put on the bottle, especially if you want to give it as a gift. To enjoy it at its best, mandarin is best served cold, even iced, with a temperature between -5 and 6 degrees.

Mandarin liqueur variants

Grandmother’s Mandarin

For the even more traditional variant, referred to as “grandmother’s mandarin,” it is preferable to opt for late and very aromatic varieties of mandarins, also providing for longer macerations.

More or less sweet versions

For a more or less sweet version, you can reduce or increase the sugar accordingly. However, it should be considered that the balance between the sweetness of the tangerine and the alcohol changes, a matter that should also be evaluated according to one’s taste.