Nocino is a walnut liquor found all over Italy but originating in Emilia Romagna, where so many good Italian foods and wines originate. Used as a digestive after a meal, it’s spicy, slightly bitter and sweet: the spiciness comes naturally from the green nuts, the bitterness of the walnuts is what aids digestion and the sweetness from added sugar makes it all palatable. These contradictory flavors work together to intrique the tastebuds and make it one of the most popular homemade liquors in Italy.
Traditionally, Italians say you must pick the green walnuts on June 24, the feast of St John the Baptist;
