Boon's Basement

The Palm Wine or better known as Toddy.

// June 15th, 2009 // Food, News

Naturally, fementation breaks down sugar into water, carbon dioxide and alcohol. Mankind has used this process to create alcoholic drink since the beginning of time. Palm Wine or Palm toddy is a popular drink that is consumed in countries where the Palm Tree proliferates. Below is the list of countries that consume palm wine and the local names given to the drink:

Source: Wikipedia

The palm wine is produced from fermenting the sap of the palm tree. A tapper would collect the sap from the cut flower of the palm tree. A container is fastened to the flower stump to collect the sap which tends to be very sweet and non-alcoholic before it is fermented. An alternate method is to let the entire tree fall to the ground. This practice is common in many African Nations and a fire is sometimes lit at the cut end to facilitate the collection of sap. This method was mentioned in Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation episode where he was in Ghana.

“Palm sap begins fermenting immediately after collection, due to natural yeasts in the air (often spurred by residual yeast left in the collecting container). Within two hours, fermentation yields an aromatic wine of up to 4% alcohol content, mildly intoxicating and sweet. The wine may be allowed to ferment longer, up to a day, to yield a stronger, more sour and acidic taste, which some people prefer. Longer fermentation produces vinegar instead of stronger wine.” – Wikipedia

-A man enjoying Toddy

Palm wine plays a special role in traditional ceremonies in many cultures but it also has been a controversial drink as it has been associated with violence and alcoholism among the rural Tamil community in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

-Boon