Slivovitz

Slivovitz or Slivovitsa is a fruit brandy made from Damson plums, often referred to as plum brandy. Slivovitz is produced in Central and Eastern Europe, both commercially as well as homemade. Primary producers are in Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria. In the Balkans it is part of the category of drinks called Rakia, while in Hungary it is part Pálinka; in Czech Republic and Slovakia Pálenka, which all are the same concept.

Etymology

The word slivovitz is derived from Slavic word for plum or (more specifically) for damson plum:Serbian: šljiva/шљива– damson plum, Czech: slíva, Polish: śliwka or Slovak: slivka + postfix -vice or -vica /vɪtsa/ to indicate the food from which it was distilled. For example, Czech meruňka apricot → meruňkovice apricot brandy; broskev peach → broskvovice peach brandy).

Cognates

Slivovitz (/ˈslɪvəvɪts/) is known by cognates such as Serbian: šljivovica / шљивовица, Bulgarian: сливовица, Czech: slivovice, Finnish: slivovits, German: Sliwowitz, Slibowitz, Croatian: šljivovica, Hungarian: sligovica, Italian: slivovitz, Macedonian: сливова, Polish: śliwowica, Romanian: şliboviţă, Russian: сливовица, Slovak: slivovica, Slovene: slivovka, Yiddish: שליוואָוויץ‎, Ukrainian: слив'янка)