Lime, lemon or orange in milk wine

Citrus juice provides acid. When boiling milk is poured into the mixture of arrack, sugar and citrus juice, the acid and alcohol make the milk proteins curdle. Without enough acid, the milk curdles poorly and the drink does not clarify well.

The peel provides aroma. It contains fragrant oils that dissolve into the arrack during steeping, giving milk wine its fresh top note.

Citrus also balances the sugar. A well-made milk wine is sweet but not cloying, and the acidity keeps it lively.

Limes are the traditional choice in Sri Lanka. They are grown in home gardens across the island and sold cheaply in every market. Sri Lankan limes are small, juicy and sharp.

Four to six limes per bottle of arrack is typical, using both the juice and the thinly pared peel. Lime gives milk wine a sharp, bright, slightly bitter citrus note.

Limes are also the citrus of Sri Lankan cooking, used in sambols, drinks and curries, so they are always to hand.

Choose limes that feel heavy for their size, with thin, smooth skins, as these hold the most juice. Rolling them firmly on the table before cutting helps release it. Green, slightly yellowing limes are fine; very hard, dark green ones can be dry inside.

Lemons are used in some Sri Lankan families and are the usual choice abroad, where limes can be more expensive. Lemons give a softer, rounder citrus note than limes.

English milk punch recipes traditionally used lemons, so lemon milk wine is closer to the drink's origins. Two to four lemons per bottle is typical, as they are larger than limes.

Lemon milk wine is often slightly gentler and suits brandy well.

In Sri Lanka, lemons are less common than limes and are usually found in supermarkets rather than village markets. Families who prefer them often buy imported fruit for the Christmas batch, or use a mix of a few lemons with limes to soften the sharpness.

Some families add orange peel or juice, alone or with limes. Orange gives a sweeter, more fragrant milk wine, with a note reminiscent of orange liqueur.

Orange juice alone is less acidic than lime or lemon and may not curdle the milk as well, so it is usually used with limes or lemons rather than instead of them.

Orange peel, pared thinly, is a lovely addition to the steeping spirit.

Sri Lankan green-skinned oranges, sold in markets in the hill country and dry zone, have fragrant peel and sweet juice. They are not the same as imported navel oranges, and some cooks use their peel for a distinctly local orange note in milk wine.

Pare the peel thinly with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, taking only the coloured outer layer. The white pith beneath is bitter and should be avoided.

Steep the peel in the arrack with the spices for a day or two. It will give its oils to the spirit, and is strained out with the curds.

Wash the fruit well before peeling, especially if it may have been waxed or sprayed.

The juice of four to six limes, or two to four lemons, is typical per bottle of arrack. More juice curdles the milk more firmly and makes the drink sharper; less gives a sweeter drink but may clarify less well.

Strain the juice to remove pips and pulp before adding it. Some cooks add the juice to the syrup; others add it directly to the arrack.

Lankan Stays & Trails can point December visitors to Colombo markets where limes, spices and vanilla are sold fresh, alongside the Christmas cakes that milk wine accompanies.