Experiment with jamun liqueur

by asianage.com

tastebrandy

The jamun, or jambul as it’s called in some languages, is not just that fruit you plucked off the tree as a kid in your summer holidays. Jamun, called damson plum in English, is a popular fruit of choice for liqueurs and distilled beverages in much of Europe.

Damson gin is a liqueur, usually homemade, made from damson plums macerated in a sugar and gin syrup for eight weeks or more. Vodka is sometimes used in place of the gin. The proof will vary somewhat but generally is around 44. Damson gin is especially popular in Britain. The fruits are ripe in early September and the liqueur can be used as a Christmas treat.
Averell Damson Gin is made differently. Rather than steeping the damson plums in gin, Averell is made by combining the fresh juice of the fruit with gin and sugar.
Popular in Slavic countries is the Slivovitz (derived from Slavic words for damson plum). It is a distilled beverage made from these plums and is frequently called plum brandy. In the Balkans, it is part of the category of drinks called Rakia.

An Authentic American “Poire Williams”, Local Pear Brandy

by chefsconsortiumny.com

Inspired by the traditional French “Eau deVie” (water of life)

When life hands you lemons make lemonade. That’s just whatFix Brothers Fruit Farm in Hudson did when they were faced with 1000 pounds of hail scarred Bartlett pears that they were unable to sell four years ago. Instead of lemonade they made Eau de Vie, an un-aged pear brandy.

The creation of the Eau de Vie, from pear to labeled bottle, was a collaboration between three farms. Fix Brothers initially approached Tom Crowell and Derek Grout of Harvest Spirits (the distillery at Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie) to see if they would be interested in using the pears to make spirits. Tom and Derek were interested but there was a minor problem – the apple cider press at Golden Harvest was ill suited for pressing cider from pears. So the pears were pressed at the Eger Brothers Orchard in Hudson where the press is better equipped to process pears. After the pressing, the cider was shipped back to Harvest Spirits where it was fermented and then later double distilled.

Tom Crowell says that to preserve the delicate pear aroma, the Eau de Vie was distilled only twice and to an alcohol level that was no higher than 85 percent.

“Our pear brandy is an American style Eau de Vie, an un-aged product that captures the delicate bouquet of Bartlett Pears. A true Columbia County New York State farm product, the pears were grown by Fix Brothers and pressed by the Egers, before being twice distilled at Harvest Spirits”.

It was a happy accident that seems to have worked out extremely well. The Eau de Vie received a bronze medal at the sixth annual meeting of the American Distilling Institute in Alameda California and has been in production at Harvest Spirits ever since. Recently Harvest Spirits has added to its product line-up Rare Pear Brandy, which is made by crushing locally-grown pears into a puree that is fermented, double distilled and aged for two years in new charred American oak barrels.

Rakija, rakija…come here as there is no consolation in water.

by Mila Hvilshoj,

“Rakija, rakija…come here as there is no consolation in water,” reads a famous line by Croatia’s greatest poet from the 20^th century, Tin Ujević. It showcases just how important rakija (Croatian grappa) plays in the culture of its people. Not only do people enjoy it as a drink but its believed to cure stomach cramps, and it works as a great disinfectant and window cleaner.

Rakija is considered the national drink of Croatia and is produced by distilling fermented fruit, much like grappa of Italy and schnapps of Germany. Winemakers will usually use grape must to produce their rakija and this is the classic base of this popular drink. This fierce beverage usually has 40% alcohol but some domaći (home-produced) rakija can have even higher levels.

It is a custom to enjoy a rakija after a meal as a digestive but be careful, this stuff is strong and is not a drink for the weak. There are several flavors or rakija, such as šlivovica made of plums, višnjevac from cherries, but for something a little easier to swallow, try medica which is flavored with honey, or orahovac with almonds.

Every bar or restaurant will have a couple of rakijas on option but if you want to go all out, you can try one of 25 rakija flavors at Split Circus in the palace or hide underground in Split Circus II. They have creative combos such as apple cinnamon, grapefruit mint, and the list goes on.

Pear Brandy Sorbet with Cardamom

by iloveicecream.net
This pear sorbet recipe caught my attention for its clever sophistication. Rebecca Franklin, who writes a french food blog on About.com, adds two additional ingredients, that cause it to stand apart. First she adds a small amount of ground cardamom, which readers of this blog know is kind of a spice of the moment for me. Here it adds a bit of complimentary dazzle to the pear flavor.

Then she adds eau-de-vie de poire which I think is the perfect finishing touch. Pear brandy reinforces the inherent pear flavor of the dessert, which is of course the point of making it. It is easy to forget that cold dampens our perception of taste and little tricks like this can help assure the intensity of flavor we are imagining, when we set out to make frozen desserts.

The alcohol in the brandy adds a satisfying note of complexity to the sorbetto, and has the very desirable property of not freezing. This helps prevent your otherwise sophisticated, adult dessert from turning into a very big Popsicle.

Last but not least, both the cardamom and the pear brandy expand the sorbet’s bouquet pleasing your nose as well as your taste buds.

Like all sorbets this is a simple and foolproof recipe. Unlike many, it exhibits a real mastery of flavor design, which with a tiny bit of effort, you can be the beneficiary of.

I strongly urge you to use cardamom seeds and grind them right before making this recipe. Freshly ground cardamom, explodes with flavor and scent. Pre-ground cardamom is a zombie spice.

Pear Salad with Verjus Pear Brandy Dressing

by theintentionalminimalist.com

Minimalist farm-to-table recipes created with local fresh produce paired with homemade infused oils, dressings, marinades, pestos and sauces. By eating seasonally, we reap the benefits of good health through nutrition from fresh, unprocessed and sustainable produce.
This recipe features local produce from 9 Bean Rows Farm, Birch Point Farm, Providence Farm, Amon Orchards and locally produced products from Food for Thought and Black Star Farms.

Ingredients

Local pear preserves
Local olive oil
Local verjus
Local pear brandy
Farm fresh local rosemary
Sea Salt
Pepper
Farm fresh local lettuce
Farm fresh local pear
Farm fresh local baby red onions
Farm fresh local baby french breakfast radishes
Cauliflower
Local raw pumpkin seeds
Crystallized ginger

Directions

Remove one tablespoon rosemary leaves from stem and mince. Add one tablespoon pear preserves to a glass jar and stir in three tablespoons olive oil, two tablespoons verjus, one tablespoon pear brandy and minced rosemary. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Slice one half pear per salad. Slice one eighth cup red onion per salad. Slice one eighth cup french breakfast radishes per salad. Mince one eighth cup cauliflower per salad. Mince one tablespoon crystallized ginger per salad.

Per salad, plate two cups lettuce and top with sliced pear, red onion, french breakfast radishes, cauliflower and crystallized ginger. Serve salad with one tablespoon dressing, one tablespoon pumpkin seeds and season with sea salt.

Rakija: A Very Dangerous Thing

by Paul Bradbury, total-hvar.com

Rakija: A Very Dangerous Thing

I did not learn much Japanese when I lived in Hiroshima, but I had a few phrases to get me through everyday life. My favourite word by far was ‘futsukayoi’, which is the word for hangover. It has a more literal meaning, which I had always thought was ‘two days hurting’, but I double checked with a gaijin blog to be absolutely sure:

The Japanese are renowned for drinking heavily, and they have their own unique expression for “hangover”: “futsukayoi”, which means “drunk for two days.” You might like to exaggerate the level of your hangover by saying “mikkayoi” (drunk for three days) or “yokkayoi” (drunk for four days) etc.

The reason my Japanese came back to me this week is because I am still recovering from an evening with Hula Hula legend Wolf, who is surely one of the coolest people in Dalmatia.

We met last year via the Total Hvar project, and I really enjoy his company. He is one of that rare breed of people who can light up a room with his mere presence, and we had a great time at the end of last year, as we realised we had both worked in the same five-star hotel in Munich in the 1980s, organising hookers for the same celebrities.

We met for what I thought would be a couple of beers, and it turned out to be a few more than that, but with a Wolf twist – why not have a shot of rakija with every beer?

Although I am partial to the occasional glass of wine or cold brewski, I have never got on with rakija, and I try to avoid it at all costs. Occasionally I forget, such as the other night, and memories of Japan resurface.

Wolf, I salute you, you are a legend, but next time, can we just stick to beer? For anyone looking for the real 2013 party, book your flights for May 19-24, as Hula Hula will be celebrating a significant Wolf birthday in some style…

I am getting into training now.

Pear brandy receipe

Pear brandy

Pear brandy

Growing up, my parents made wine, my across-the-street neighbor made beer, I have dabbled in making other spirits…but this recipe is truly a cinch.

4 Pears
2 cups Brandy (Generic)
2 cups Sugar
2 cups Water

Wash and chop 2 pears, discarding seeds and core. Place in a sealable glass jar, cover with 2 cups of brandy and let steep undisturbed in a cool dark place for a week.

Strain liquid through a coffee filter into another larger sealable glass jar.

Chop 2 more pears as above, add to a pan along with sugar and water, stir, bring to a boil, let cool and pour into the jar. Again, let it steep in a cool dark place for 2 weeks…. 6 months. Yes, I admit, I forgot about it.

kruska rakija

Again, strain through a coffee filter into the final serving container.

I can’t speak for the taste and quality of a secondary 2 week steep, but at 6 months it is smooth, sweet and has a distinct pear flavor.

Croatia One Of Europe’s Biggest Spirit Drinking Nations

New data recently released on the state of health care in Europe shows that the Russians are no longer the nation which consumes the largest quantity of spirits each year.

Rakija

Croatia One Of Europe’s Biggest Spirit Drinking Nations

Moldova has taken over that honour, with the average Moldovan knocking back over 20 litres of liquor a year. In second place was Luxembourg and in third place Estonia. Croatia was near the top of the list with the Brits and Danes, with the average Croat drinking around 10 litres of hard liquor annually.

Scientifically confirmed: Rakija cures!

by Milan Ljubojevic, ebritic.com

Medical research has confirmed that an occasional glass of rakija can have a positive effect on health.

rakija

Rakija cures

Studies have shown, according to the newspaper “Poljoindustrija“, that moderate alcohol consumption increases the concentration of good cholesterol while lowering the level of bad cholesterol. Those who drink moderately are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease-heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure or stroke.

“One glass of brandy cures inflammation of the inner walls of blood vessel, which contains fat that can cause heart attacks. It can also slow thrombus formation and accelerates its breakdown, if it already exists. ”

Moderate drinking equates to one to two alcoholic beverages that contain 10 grams of alcohol, equivalent to one pint of beer, a glass of wine or a glass of liquor, while no alcohol is recommended for pregnant women. On the other hand, if higher amounts of alcoholic beverages are frequently consumed, then the effect is harmful because it can damage the heart muscles and lead to a contraction of peripheral blood vessels. Long-term daily drinking, that’s 80 grams, or eight glasses of rakija, may cause a thickening and enlargement of the heart muscle and women are more susceptible to these changes. At the same time thisleads to high blood pressure and the occurrence of hypertension.

Rakija i Sveti Trifun

by Tina Jovanovic, chroniclesofserbia.wordpress.com

After I wrote the little blog, THE MUSIC BEGAN. I was in the middle of changing and dressing Little Miss when it started. I got so excited to go see what was going on I could wait to be finished with her and to dress myself.

Waiters from the Cafe Pariz were milling about the crowd with trays full of FREE wine and rakija. Almost immediately, I was offered some, after declining once and a brief conversation in Serbian, he asked in English where I was from. Then offered me a little wine again. The second time was a charm. Wine in hand, I watched the show. Since I was already buzzed off of my Turkish coffee and no breakfast, the wine made me a little but more buzzed.

Brandy

Street trumpeters

Soon enough, good camera in hand I was on my way… Just outside there was a band playing traditional Serbian music.

A Grandma and he little grandbaby were up on the terrace above looking down on it all.

Brandy

A crowd of people enjoying free wine and rakija

Waiters from the Cafe Pariz were milling about the crowd with trays full of FREE wine and rakija. Almost immediately, I was offered some, after declining once and a brief conversation in Serbian, he asked in English where I was from. Then offered me a little wine again. The second time was a charm. Wine in hand, I watched the show. Since I was already buzzed off of my Turkish coffee and no breakfast, the wine made me a little but more buzzed.

It was the cafe owner’s Slava. Sveti Trifun, pronounced Teefoon, is the patron saint of wine. There was a gorgeous loaf of bread in the shape of Grapes on a table with the traditional Slava set up.

Rakija

Grape shaped bread

I believe it got around that I was an American, for when the traditions started a man came over and told me where I should be watching so I could get good pictures. He was very nice, polite, and helpful. I am so glad he cared enough to show me.

First there was the lighting of the candle like we do for out slava. Then the owner went over to the grape vine and cut a couple pieces off the grape vine.

Rakija

Cutting the grape vine

Rakija

Pouring the wine for a prosperous new season

Then the breaking of the bread with a friend.

Rakija

Breaking the bread

I know they do this every year. I remember last time I was here for February 14th I could hear the music, but I was stuck in the apt in a cast. No going to check things out. I am so glad I can get out now.

Rakija

Kolo Party

She danced as I would have liked to have and later joined the Kolo line. I had to get back up to the little one. But I got some pics of the dancing from the window.

Rakija – Revolution in High Spirits

by Anna Tucker, croatiaweek.com

Writing about 1968, the year of sex, drugs and rock and roll, but also the year of a series of sudden, seemingly unlinked social upheavals worldwide, Mark Kurlansky observed “At a time when nations and cultures were still separate and very different….there occurred a spontaneous combustion of rebellious spirits around the world.”

In that same chaotic year, while ideas of social equality and the first paroles of an independent Croatian State, enticed by the Czech Spring and similar uprisings in neighbouring communist countries, were being timidly voiced amongst Croatian intellectuals and working-class people, little did these utopian ideas of social justice and change concern the then predominant rural population of the country.

To the Croatian peasants, the harsh quotidian routine did not allow for them to ponder on solutions to impalpable problems. The solution to everyday ills – global, personal and physical – was not a utopian society, but rather a more concrete cure – rakija, a potent spirit produced from fermented fruit.

As one acquaintance observed, during a recent dinner at a Zagreb restaurant, where a rather cheerful bunch of expats and locals cheerfully toasted to a pleasant evening over a strawberry rakija: “At my nan’s house, there were only two legitimate medicines: rakija and holy water.” And indeed, rakija was widely used to cure anything from a stomach-ache to a broken heart, providing longevity and routinely serving as a substitute for a doctor.

And while the belief in holy water’s healing properties has not exactly made it beyond the rural realms, rakija’s image as the all-encompassing cure for physical and emotional pains has made the leap to the urban side with remarkable success.

At first sight, observing the seemingly unprecedented shift in this drink’s social status from hick to urban chic might seem like a very local phenomenon. However, if we turn to look at other corners of the world, the story about this particular eau de vie seems to have a bit more in common with the global mode de vie than it might appear at first sight.

The journey of rakija from peasant households through provincial taverns and run down joints to Croatia’s hottest new bars and trendy nightlife scene appears to fit a global pattern of local spirits conquering the palates of a new generation looking for a change by turning to -tradition.

That something like rakija or similar local spirits might be the social indicators of times changing might sound like a flimsy idea, but it seems that this time around, the “voice” of revolutionary times is not coming from the disaffected proletariat and starving intellectuals of the 60’s, but from a new breed of consumer dissidents, whose revolutions, expressed through manifesting global brand revulsion and fought by opting for traditional, hand-crafted and local products (such as rakija), just might be the answer to boosting the dried-up local economies worldwide.

And just like other spirits throughout the world, such as various liquors that are rebelliously popping out from artisan distilleries in the US; ouzo and grappa that have established themselves as exquisite drinks served world-wide side by side amongst the best of cognacs; or sake, which is making it big among party goers in Ibiza, rakija has a potential to journey further beyond the borders of its home country. And, while providing moments of happiness, opportunities for memorable get-togethers, and, yes, a few headaches here and there to its growing fan base of global consumers, rakija is exemplifying yet another aspect of its healing properties in providing relief, at least on a micro-level, to a local economy that is in desperate need a good kick.

About rakija

by rakiabar.com

The word brandy ( ‘rakija‘ in Serbian ) is of Arab origin. It originates from the word ‘al-rak’, which means ‘sweat’, freely translated. The word arrived in our regions with Turks in the 14th and 15th century.At the beginning, it denoted the beverage arak which was produced in Indonesia, Malaysia and other Far Eastern countries by distillation of fermented juice or the wines made of special sorts of palms.

Back in the 6th century B.C. Aristotle wrote that sea water, as well as wine and other liquids, could be turned into drinking water if they underwent the process of distillation. However, this conclusion was not used long after, until Arab alchemists of the 8th and 9th century created alambics, which were used to produce perfume bases. These instruments were also used by the alchemists of that period in order to obtain gold from metals ( iron and lead ).

Rakija

The knowledge on distillation process was quickly spread across Europe and the production of distilled alcoholic beverages that were called ‘the water of life’ started in many countries. It is not at all easy to find out the exact origin of a spirit because the recipes quickly became a part of national pride. The production of ‘national drinks’ began in European countries in the 15th century, with the appearance of gin in England, schnapps in Germany, aquavit in Scandinavia, vodka in Russia and Poland and BRANDY in the Balkans.

At the beginning, these beverages were used to therapeutic and medical purposes, but also to put consumers in a good mood.

Serbs did not start producing brandy until the end of the 19th century, when Serbian vineyards had already been destroyed by philoxer and wine production had been reduced. Brandy was made from various fruit, usually plums.

Today, brandies in Serbia are made from various fruit, although plum brandy still has primacy.

Brandy

BRANDY FORCE

The force of brandy is determined by the quantity of alcohol which brandy contains and which is expressed by volume parts or volume percentage, which is marked as %vol.Volume percentage is the number of litres of pure ethanol ( of 100% purity ) in 100 litres of a spirit, i. e. in the mixture of water and alcohol which constitutes that spirit.

In everyday speech the force of alcohol is still sometimes expressed in grades. Units can simply be converted by the following equivalence:
1 grade = 2.46 vol%

The most practical and fastest way to determine the force of brandy is to use alcometer.

Rakija – Revolution in High Spirits

by Anna Tucker, croatiaweek.com

Writing about 1968, the year of sex, drugs and rock and roll, but also the year of a series of sudden, seemingly unlinked social upheavals worldwide, Mark Kurlansky observed “At a time when nations and cultures were still separate and very different….there occurred a spontaneous combustion of rebellious spirits around the world.”

In that same chaotic year, while ideas of social equality and the first paroles of an independent Croatian State, enticed by the Czech Spring and similar uprisings in neighbouring communist countries, were being timidly voiced amongst Croatian intellectuals and working-class people, little did these utopian ideas of social justice and change concern the then predominant rural population of the country.

To the Croatian peasants, the harsh quotidian routine did not allow for them to ponder on solutions to impalpable problems. The solution to everyday ills – global, personal and physical – was not a utopian society, but rather a more concrete cure – rakija, a potent spirit produced from fermented fruit.

As one acquaintance observed, during a recent dinner at a Zagreb restaurant, where a rather cheerful bunch of expats and locals cheerfully toasted to a pleasant evening over a strawberry rakija: “At my nan’s house, there were only two legitimate medicines: rakija and holy water.” And indeed, rakija was widely used to cure anything from a stomach-ache to a broken heart, providing longevity and routinely serving as a substitute for a doctor.

And while the belief in holy water’s healing properties has not exactly made it beyond the rural realms, rakija’s image as the all-encompassing cure for physical and emotional pains has made the leap to the urban side with remarkable success.

At first sight, observing the seemingly unprecedented shift in this drink’s social status from hick to urban chic might seem like a very local phenomenon. However, if we turn to look at other corners of the world, the story about this particular eau de vie seems to have a bit more in common with the global mode de vie than it might appear at first sight.

The journey of rakija from peasant households through provincial taverns and run down joints to Croatia’s hottest new bars and trendy nightlife scene appears to fit a global pattern of local spirits conquering the palates of a new generation looking for a change by turning to -tradition.

That something like rakija or similar local spirits might be the social indicators of times changing might sound like a flimsy idea, but it seems that this time around, the “voice” of revolutionary times is not coming from the disaffected proletariat and starving intellectuals of the 60’s, but from a new breed of consumer dissidents, whose revolutions, expressed through manifesting global brand revulsion and fought by opting for traditional, hand-crafted and local products (such as rakija), just might be the answer to boosting the dried-up local economies worldwide.

And just like other spirits throughout the world, such as various liquors that are rebelliously popping out from artisan distilleries in the US; ouzo and grappa that have established themselves as exquisite drinks served world-wide side by side amongst the best of cognacs; or sake, which is making it big among party goers in Ibiza, rakija has a potential to journey further beyond the borders of its home country. And, while providing moments of happiness, opportunities for memorable get-togethers, and, yes, a few headaches here and there to its growing fan base of global consumers, rakija is exemplifying yet another aspect of its healing properties in providing relief, at least on a micro-level, to a local economy that is in desperate need a good kick.

Rakia Classification

by macedoniaonline.eu

Cocktail Guess: “Make Me Something With Brandy”

by Eric Fidler and Alex Baca

Where: Bistro Bohem, 600 Florida Ave. NW

Bartender Response: “We have a really strong Czech plum brandy.”

What We Got: A Velvet Revolution made with slivovice (Czech plum brandy), plum juice, and ice

Price: $10

How It Tasted: Sweet like a plum, and reminiscent of a purple lollipop

Improv Points (1–5): 4. Plums? Now there’s an unexpected take on brandy. Brandy is usually distilled from grapes, but can also be distilled from other fruits. Drink this high-proof Czech cocktail too fast and you’ll be stumbling away.

Where: Jack Rose Dining Saloon, 2007 18th St. NW

Bartender Response: “We’ve got a brandy drink on our menu.”

What We Got: Apple brandy, grenadine, and lime juice, served up

Price: $13

How It Tasted: The lime juice and grenadine were appropriate balanced and left room for the fruity, warm notes of the apple brandy.

Improv Points (1–5): 3. This cocktail, known as a “Jack Rose,” is a signature of the bar’s menu. The name is presumably drawn from the traditional Jack Rose cocktail, which contains grenadine, lemon or lime juice, and applejack—rather than the apple brandy we were served. Applejack and apple brandy aren’t the same, but our drink neatly satisfied our request.

Where: Hawk ‘n’ Dove, 329 Pennsylvania Ave. SE

Bartender Response: “I can make a Brandy Alexander, but it will have to be with cognac.”

What We Got: A Brandy Alexander with Hennessy and Kahlúa.

Price: $12

How It Tasted: Sweet and syrupy with an undeniable coffee flavor.

Improv Points (1–5): 2. A proper Brandy Alexander should have chocolatey crème de cacao, not coffee-flavored Kahlúa. We like improvised substitutions, but in this case, we could just as easily sneak a flask into Starbucks.

Pear, Brandy and Walnut Cranberry Sauce

by notlazy.rustic

Pear, Brandy and Walnut Cranberry Sauce

Pear, Brandy and Walnut Cranberry Sauce

In this cranberry sauce, you won’t find any of the punishing tartness you get in many — it’s all silk and fragrance. The pears, which are shredded, melt into the sau

notlazy.rustic says: Growing up, we never ate canned cranberry sauce and my mom always made a cranberry and orange relish for Thanksgiving. But, It wasn’t until I was working

Serves 6-8 small servings

1/3 cup, plus 2-3 tablespoon brandy, divided
water
2 cinnamon sticks, each broken in half
8 black peppercorns
12 ounces fresh cranberries, picked over
3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 medium bartlett pears, peeled
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted and divided

Pour 1/3 cup brandy into liquid measuring cup; add enough water to reach 1/2 cup liquid total. Set aside. Place broken cinnamon sticks and peppercorns in center of small piece of cheesecloth or large tea bag and tie closed using kitchen twine.
In medium saucepot, combine cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon-pepper bundle. Using large holes on a box grater, grate pears into saucepot. Stir in brandy-water mixture.
Over high heat, bring cranberry mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook 10-12 minutes, or until cranberries have burst and the mixture has combined, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons brandy. Let cool. Remove and discard cinnamon bundle. Stir in 7 tablespoons toasted walnuts. Transfer mixture to small serving bowl; sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Where to drink what?

by lordsofthedrinks.wordpress.com

For each occasion another bottle

For each occasion another bottle

Some people drink only wine or only beer. Now this is a terrible shame, almost a crime to your tongue and stomach since there are so many other great drinks you must try from time to time. The only thing is when to drink what. Well that’s what we are here for. Lord of the Drink Micky will give you his favorite drinks in various spots.

Beer: beer is football and football is beer. Doesn’t matter if you’re sitting at home watching a match, you are on the way to the stadium or having a PMDS (Pre Match Drinking Session) with your friends, there must always be beer. It takes away some of the tension, but it’s also not that strong that you will miss the whole match.

Wine: the perfect drink for diner parties and restaurants. And not only while you’re still eating. After the food you keep those bottles coming. The full stomach and some good full glasses will give you a sleepy buzz. No problem, you’re not going anywhere anyway.

Whisky: now this is a drink you want in a stripclub or at a poker evening. Both perfect occasions to light up a big cigar too. Picture it: a nice glass of Scotch on the rocks, the sweet smell of cigar smoke and the thrill of spending money on gorgeous women or gaining it with some major bluffing. Life can’t get much sweeter.

Vodka: now this is a drink you don’t drink for the taste. You drink vodka to get hammered. So gather some friends, get some pickles or sour onions and beers with it. Kick back the vodka shots in a steady pace, while you flush them down with some of your sour treats and beer. Now you don’t wanna do this before going out. You don’t wanna be too far from the place you sleep.

Gin: well let’s be honest, the only reason people still buy tonic is because it mixes so well with gin. A great drink to have before going to a club. At home or in a bar, gin-tonic is the way to get yourself in the mood. Also a great drink to start with after a hangover in the morning. Your stomach is probably not ready for beer and tequila yet, but after some gin-tonics you’ll feel reborn and ready to take on every drink in the building.

Rum: the moments I prefer straight rum are the days when it’s too hot to do anything. Find yourself a nice bottle of brown rum and if possible look for the waterside. In a while you probably convinced yourself you’re a fierce pirate. Hell, you might even hijack a boat!

Rum-cola (or whisky-cola): the perfect drink after throwing up. Maybe that last beer, vodka, jagermeister or tequila didn’t fell right n the stomach. Well not to worry, everyone ever puked in his life. It’s how you deal with it afterwards that matters. Now a rum-cola is a perfect way to get back in shape without wasting money on nonalcoholic crap.

Rakia: imagine a long table with good friends, a huge load of food and live Balkan music without rakia. Impossible right?! Whenever you visit the Balkans this is the perfect setting to try the local hard stuff. It improves your appetite in both food and dancing and these two actually improve your drinking skills. It’s a vicious circle, a win-win-situation or whatever you wanna call it. It simply rocks! For the Hungarian pálinka it’s kind of the same story. Although Hungary is not part of the Balkans, their way of consuming their national drink is kind of the same. So is the taste by the way. One last advice on rakia and pálinka: always go for the homemade stuff. Besides the fact that the percentage of alcohol is way higher here, the flavor is usually better too than the ones from the stores.

Ouzo/sambuca/mastika/Turkish raki: this drink with the strong anise flavor goes by many names. Now there are some cocktails or cocktailshots with it, but I prefer the real deal. Usually in combination with food. Before a meal it really brings out your appetite. Another great way is like the Greeks do it, in combination with fresh squid (kalamari) from the grill.

Jagermeister: When you are entering the bar from the cold outside, you might wanna start off with a few jagers. First of all it takes the cold right out of your bones. A great side effect is that it doesn’t take you nearly that long to adept to the atmosphere in the bar as when you’re just drinking beers. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t order beer, just order both. A guy who walks in a bar and orders a large beer and several jager shots will directly earn the respect of the barkeeper and the rest of the crowd. This leads to socializing and isn’t that what going out and drinking is all about?

Tequila: the ultimate shot. Look at it like insulin for a diabetic. The moment you sober up too much, the crowd is dull or for whatever reason you need a boost, this is the moment you should order tequila shots. Yes, plural of course. Guaranteed to bring the party back to life.

Cocktails: not a men’s drink of course, except for one scenario. Have the barkeeper make a strong one and take the shaker and various shot glasses. Now you call the shots, literally. Provide your friends with booze and drink from the shaker yourself. Now this is the manly way to drink cocktails.

Theme drinks: what the hell is theme drinks? Well think of sangria at a Spanish party, caipirinha at a Brazilian, or pisco sour at a Peruvian one. Here’s the deal dude: you’re at a theme party, better go with it. You don’t order just beer or whisky, you just go with the theme or search for another party! That being said it’s of course strongly advised to mix this with other drinks in your stomach.

Absinthe/stroh rum: now these drinks are hardcore, so for emergencies only. You’ve been drinking for quite some days. The beer already has no effect anymore and your normal hard stuff also doesn’t cut it. Well, desperate times call for desperate measures: time to bring out the hard stuff. Beware that the effect of these drinks can be way different than normal drunkenness. You might even start feeling a little high rather than drunk.

Serbian Rakija Maker Complains of Cold Shoulder

1 Reply

by balkaninsight.com

Yellow Wasp slivovitz plum brandy

Yellow Wasp- Zuta osa

Makers of Zuta Osa, one of the country’s most successful strong beverages, say the authorities have double standards when deciding who to help with their exports.

Producers of one of Serbia’s best known alcoholic beverages are complaining of government indifference to their export drive, after officials refused to help them with funds.

Flores, Serbia’s best known company producing “rakija” – fruit brandy – says it got a cold shoulder from the Agriculture Ministry when it asked for help in stimulating exports.
Zuta Osa (Yellow Wasp) is a natural plum brandy with a 45 per cent alcohol content. It has won 13 gold medals in leading exhibitions and fairs across the world.

But Zuta Osa does not have protection under the law as an alcoholic beverage with specific geographical indications.

According to ministry regulations, only exporters of agricultural products that meet those requirements are entitled to state subsidies.

Miomir Pljakic, of Flores, said state support for the firm had fallen steadily in recent years – to zero this year.

He said this was ironic, as officials routinely declared that agricultural exports should be the backbone of the country’s economic development.

According to Pljakic, the agriculture ministry also practiced double standards when it came to handing out funds.

“Does this mean that we have to block roads in order to get what we are entitled to?” Pljakic asked, referring to farmers in the northern Vojvodina province who received fresh offers of subsidies after blocking roads with tractors in June.

NAVIP stops making famous slivovitz

The largest producer of the traditional beverage NAVIP in Serbia and in the Balkans has closed after 84 years, another victim of the economic crisis in the region.

Miroljub Spasojevic, director of the NAVIP factory, said the remaining 20 workers stopped coming to work on Monday, as the company that produced the popular fruit brandy known as rakija has gone out of business.

The NAVIP factory was built in 1929 and, according to Spasojevic, managed to survive the Second World War, but it couldn’t survive the current economic crisis.

Since its foundation the factory had exported 5 million of bottles of rakija, much of it to the US and the European Union, but also to Canada and Australia.

“From 1980 until 1990 alone around 1,650 000 bottles were exported,” said Spasojevic, noting that this made it the largest exporter and producer of rakija in the Balkans.

Rakija is a traditional Serbian brandy that can be bought for as little as just a few euros, but those of higher quality can retail for as much as €150.

The beverage is available in almost as many flavours as there are fruits, and is sometimes flavoured with herbs such as wormwood.

DIY slivovitz done good

by mistersugar.com

Slivovitz online

Slivovitz brandy with mates

Bora and I have been sipping slivovitz for years, in friendship and in celebration of the annual ScienceOnline conference. So when Bora came across The ease and appeal of DIY slivovitz in the Washington Post last fall, we knew we had to try it. After weeks of searching online for the right plums, I happened to find two pounds of very ripe Italian prune plums in a local grocery store, and immediately prepared the concoction: vodka, sugar, cinnamon sticks, orange peel and the plums, poured into Mason jars.

I put the two jars in a dark corner of one of the cabinets. Sixty days into the 90 we needed to wait, Bora and Karyn were over for a ScienceOnline board meeting. After we’d discussed important business, we tested the slivo. It wasn’t ready.

The waiting was over last week, so I strained the liquor into clean bottles, and stashed them in the freezer. Bora and Karyn returned Friday night. I poured, we toasted, we tipped.

“This is good,” Bora immediately reported on Facebook. It’s quite sweet, but very plummy, with pleasant perfume of cinnamon. Karyn wanted more, but she needed to get back to her office, where she’s cooking up even more ScienceOnline goodness. We promised to make a triple batch this summer, and to gather again next month to toast to Karyn’s leadership of the organization and, in our tradition, a successful ScienceOnline2013.

I poured second shots for me and Bora, and we sat in the living room and talked for a couple of hours.