Anise Greek vodka with such a magical name "ouzo" has an incredible taste. In addition, in moderate amounts, the ouzo drink is very beneficial. According to legend, the gods used it to gain immortality. And in Ancient Greece, this vodka was the main liquor during various feasts.
Today, the Greeks proudly call this kind of alcohol their national treasure. Anyone who is fortunate enough to visit an ancient country considers it his duty to try ouzo.
Product Description
The ouzo drink is made from crayfish and a variety of herbs. An obligatory component is anise. Typically, the strength of vodka reaches 40-50 degrees. The smell of the finished liquid resembles cough syrup, so many travelers do not immediately agree to taste the product. But if you still run the risk of doing this, then they will delight him.
This vodka is distinguished by one pleasant property: the aroma of alcohol will not emanate from the person who uses it. In a room where there is ouzo, the drink also does not leave amber of alcohol.
In Greece, named vodka is used in the following way: a third of ouzo is poured into a tall narrow glass, and then water is added to the container. Thanks to anise oils, the liquid acquires a milky color. But there are other ways to consume this vodka. We will talk about them further.
The most varied appetizer is served with ouzo, starting with seafood and ending with candied fruits. But you can drink it as an aperitif, without a snack. Connoisseurs recommend drinking an undiluted drink, biting it with melon.
origin of name
As one of the stories tells, the drink ouzo got its name thanks to one inscription. And everything happened like this: long ago, one of the enterprises producing alcoholic beverages received an order from Marseille. The finished drink was delivered to the customer in the box on which it was written - uso Massalia. Translated, this phrase means "for use in Marseille."
Over time, the word Massalia disappeared from use. But the word uso remained, and they began to call them a drink. This version does not have scientific evidence, and therefore today is only an assumption that does not lose relevance.
There is another theory as to why the ouzo drink bears that name. According to this hypothesis, the title is associated with the word of Turkish origin üzüm, which translates as "grape tincture" or "grape bunch".
In 1989, the Greek leaders registered the title “Ouzo”. After that, the product gained national status. Producing alcohol is allowed only in the Greek state.
Vodka production technology
The ouzo drink is made by combining moonshine made from grape marc extracts and forty-degree alcohol. The resulting mixture is insisted on coriander, spinach, chamomile, fennel, almonds and cloves. After a few months, the composition is distilled again. This technology provides the product with a mild flavor with distinct notes of spices and herbs. Ouzo is somewhat reminiscent of Italian sambuca.
But there are other recipes for making this vodka. True, here it is necessary to adhere to the only rule established by Greek law: no less than 20% of the alcohol base should be accounted for by wine alcohol, which is obtained from oilcake and juice. Mandatory component of the drink should be anise.
Making aniseed vodka at home
Ouzo - an alcoholic drink - can be prepared at home. To do this, you will need:
- one hundred grams of anise;
- one liter of vodka or diluted alcohol;
- 20 grams of star anise;
- two liters of water;
- five grams of cardamom;
- two buds of cloves.
Vodka is poured into a saucepan or other suitable container and cloves, anise, cardamom and star anise are added. The vessel is covered with a lid and placed for two weeks in a dark room. During this period, it is necessary to control the temperature indicators of this room. The temperature in it should be in the range of 18-20 ° C.
After two weeks, the tincture is filtered, water is added and the resulting composition is poured into a cube for distillation. Now you need to put spices in the sucker, but you can tie them in gauze and hang in a still cube. All this is distilled and the finished vodka is kept in a dark room for three days before use.
The resulting drink has a taste close to the original.
How to drink ouzo
The ouzo greek drink is drunk in a variety of ways. We have already described the classical method for the inhabitants of Hellas. Now, consider other options for drinking anise vodka. Ouzo can be drunk with ice - ice cubes slightly soften the stable anise flavor. If the drink is pre-cooled, then its taste will also become a little softer. Since the product in the mouth instantly heats up, it immediately changes its taste characteristics.
In Greece, the use of pure vodka is a common option. This option is called Sketo. The temperature of such an ouzo should be 18-23 degrees. They drink alcohol slowly, taking small sips, so you can appreciate its taste. Since alcohol provokes the appearance of appetite, it is advised to drink it as an aperitif.
Seafood or light salads are used by the Greeks as a snack. But such vodka is ideally combined with fruits, dessert, cheese, meat delicacies and strong coffee.
Ouzo as a part of cocktails
In Hellas, it is customary only to use ouzo in its pure form. Greece considers the drink blasphemous to use as the basis for cocktails. But in European countries, bartenders offer incredibly tasty cocktails based on anise vodka. For example, a cocktail with the Greek name "Iliad." It includes:
- 60 milliliters of Amaretto liquor;
- 120 milliliters ouzo;
- three strawberries;
- one hundred grams of ice cubes.
The glass should be filled with ice, pour liquor, add strawberries chopped on a blender and mix the components. After that, Greek vodka is added to the container and once again everything is mixed.
Another ouzo cocktail is called the Greek Tiger. It consists of 30 milliliters of anise infusion and 120 milliliters of orange juice. Juice and vodka are poured into a glass with ice cubes and the liquids are mixed together. If there is no orange juice, then lemon is suitable.
Museum of Vodka
Ouzo is the national drink of Greece, therefore it is respected here and even a museum was founded in his honor. The institution is located in the town of Plomari on the island of Lesbos. Here, new technologies are constantly being introduced to produce a product. And the museum has the first tools that were used to create vodka. Famous stickers of blue color, which were glued to the bottles before, as well as the first cauldron dating from 1858.
The museum belongs to the Barbayanni family. These are well-known alcohol producers in Greece. The walls of this establishment continue to preserve the secrets of the production of Barbayanni, which give the drink its special taste and quality.
The doors of the souvenir shop and reception are open for guests, and everyone can participate in an ouzo tasting.
Choosing a good ouzo
Tourists often bring vodka to their relatives as a souvenir. It is always better than magnets and statuettes boring to everyone. Many travelers are tempted and purchase vodka in gift bottles that copy the shape of ancient Greek statues. But it’s just worth giving up on such purchases, because the packaging is gorgeous here, and its content leaves much to be desired. The real ouzo is poured into "carafes" - bottles made of transparent glass and characterized by a simple shape.
It is also better not to buy the famous vodka at retail tourist points. The best product is sold in the central market in Athens, which is located at the foot of the Acropolis. But the highest quality anise vodka in Greece is made on the island of Lesbos. This rule should be followed when buying the described alcoholic beverage.