Tourists vacationing in Turkey have repeatedly witnessed how the local people consume a strange drink in restaurants and bars that looks like milk. Observing foreigners must have noticed that it is obtained by mixing two completely transparent liquids: water (canteen or soda) and special vodka - crayfish. Our last article will be devoted to this last drink. Why does Turkish vodka have the ability to whiten like milk when mixed with water? What is the history of the drink? And is it possible to use crayfish undiluted or as part of alcoholic cocktails? Want to bring a gastronomic souvenir from Turkey? In this article, you will learn which brand of crayfish to purchase is preferable.
History
There is still a heated debate about where Turkish vodka came from. The name of the Balkan brandy should not mislead you. Serbs and Bosnians got acquainted with the drink after the Ottoman conquest. But the Greeks claim that their vodka - ouzo - became the prototype of Turkish crayfish. But the etymology of the product name has Iraqi roots. It was there that they thought of subjecting the grape marc to distillation. Those who have ever seen a moonshine still know that the distillate is dripping drop by drop. This property gave the name to the drink: "arak" in translation from Arabic - "sweat". But the Turks claim that their national drink did not come to them from Iraq, but was born in their homeland. Allegedly, for real crayfish, the pulp of Razaki grapes is taken. He gave the name to vodka. For a long time in Muslim Turkey, crayfish was banned, like all alcohol. But this did not diminish the popular love for this drink. It was produced by Christians living in Turkey: Greeks, Bosnians. Kemal Atatürk, thanks to his authority as the leader of the nation, made crayfish a truly Turkish drink, because he loved it very much. Since then, not a single feast has been complete without aniseed vodka .
Production
We have already mentioned that the ancestor of crayfish is Iraqi arak. This strong distillate is obtained by distillation of the pulp - the raw materials used in the production of wine. And in this old drink crayfish can be compared with Italian grappa. After all, it is also done on grape marc. But Turkish vodka crayfish began to differ from Italian in the seventeenth century, when it began to be insisted on the root of anise. The powerful smell serves as the “hallmark” of crayfish. And the anise flavor makes Turkish vodka similar to Greek ouzo and French pastis. Industrial-made crayfish is distilled twice, and then aged for at least another month in oak barrels. But in Turkey they often make homemade anise tincture - not only from grapes, but also from dates, figs, and other fruits. Thus, the strength of the drink may differ from a 45-degree factory crayfish. The alcohol content can be both 40 and 55%.
Turkish vodka crayfish: characteristic
If you've never tried drinks or aniseed candies, you may not like the taste. Not only that: he can remind you of a pharmacy cough syrup. But do not immediately abandon the use of crayfish. Turkish anise vodka instantly raises the mood. After all, the degree of the drink is quite high. But drinking it undiluted from the Turks is considered bad form. Pure crayfish burns the receptors of the tongue and has a too saturated aniseed odor. But mixing Turkish vodka with juices, and even more so with other alcohol, is also not recommended. In this case, what to do?
Turkish vodka crayfish: how to drink
A ritual for the use of this distillate took shape in the nineteenth century. Crayfish drink in two ways. The first - the most common - is called "lion's milk." Vodka cooled to eight to ten degrees is poured into a special vessel for crayfish (similar to a shot glass with a thick bottom and high walls of thin glass). The glass is half full. Next they pour the same amount of water - canteen or mineral. Turkish vodka immediately becomes white and opaque, like milk. This is because anise oil, dissolved in alcohol, is released in the form of a dispersed emulsion. Since the proportions of vodka and water are one to one, the strength of the drink is reduced to twenty-five degrees. But do not abuse such a cocktail, otherwise it can turn from a “lion” into “rabid cow milk”.
The second way to eat crayfish is similar to the first. You take a sip of vodka and then make another - ice water. On hot days, you can put a couple of ice cubes in a glass with "lion's milk". But not the other way around! If you pour crayfish into a glass of ice, anise will crystallize and the drink will lose its aroma and taste.
Ritual
Turkish vodka is not drunk alone and without snacks. She must be accompanied by dishes. At least meze - slices of melon, feta cheese, olives, cold cuts. They clink glasses for crayfish with thick bottoms, while saying “shareafa”, which means “For your honor!” It is customary to drink the first glass in one gulp, and all subsequent ones - gradually, in small sips. Crayfish accompanies the entire feast - and snacks, and hot dishes.
The best brands of Turkish vodka
Until recently, cancer production was a state monopoly. It was produced in Izmir under the brand name "TEKEL". But now other brands have appeared. The real popular favorite, appreciated for the good quality and very affordable price, is the Turkish vodka YeniRaki. Also, TekirDag is considered a good and inexpensive drink. Like any vodka, crayfish has a “Premium” classification. In the highest price segment is Alinbas.