Greek national alcohol. Cretan crayfish - Cretan nectar

Japan is famous for its sake, Mexico for tequila, Russia for vodka, but what about traditional alcohol in Greece? Today I will tell you about the alcoholic drinks that must be tasted in Greece. Walking is like walking).

Ouzo

The most famous Greek alcoholic beverage is definitely ouzo.

Ouzo is made by distilling ethyl alcohol, anise, and other aromatic herbs and spices (eg nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon). Depending on the manufacturer, the alcohol content of ouzo ranges from 20 to 40 percent.

Unfortunately, the smell of anise alone makes me sick: whether it's just anise flowers, alcohol, or any other products that contain this plant.

Therefore, I can only watch with envy, the Greeks "playing chemists" with their ouzo. The fact is that when water and ice are added to ouzo, its color changes before our eyes. In a couple of seconds, the crystal clear drink becomes cloudy white. At such moments, I always remember school chemistry lessons: drop something like that into a test tube - and see what happens. The main thing is not to explode.)

Most often, the Greeks "chemise" in the summer, sitting in a tavern on the seashore. As a rule, ouzo is used with fish snacks: octopus, anchovies, sardines. They drink ouzo from narrow tall glasses.

You can buy ouzo in any Greek supermarket: you will notice a specific bottle with a long thin neck from afar. A small bottle of ouzo costs around € 3. The most popular ouzo brands in Greece are ouzo Mini Μυτιλήνης

Tsipuro and crayfish

Tsipuro and raki are the "heavy artillery" of the Greek national alcoholic beverages. The drinks are very strong (37-47% alcohol), reminiscent of our moonshine in taste. Tsipuro and crayfish are similar in taste and manufacturing method. It is believed that the main difference between these two spirits is the presence or absence of anise in the composition: anise may be present in tsipuro, but not in crayfish. Traditionally, crayfish and tsipuro were produced in Crete, and until the middle of the 20th century it was illegal to make.

Tsipuro is served chilled in a small carafe with a narrow high neck called "karafaki". Then tsipuro is poured into small glasses and drunk in one gulp.

According to my observations, tsipuro is in great demand among the Greeks of the older generation, young people rarely and reluctantly order it. Although, there is an opinion that in the villages of Crete, people of all ages still drink it almost around the clock.

A small bottle of Tsipuro costs about 3-4 euros.

Racomelo

Greek rakomelo is made up of two main ingredients: raki and honey. Sometimes cinnamon and cloves are also added to the drink. Rakomelo is most popular among the Greeks in winter, as it is served hot. Of course, rakomelo can be consumed cold, but then it is “somehow different” and loses much in taste to hot rakomelo. Cancer is believed to be very helpful for colds.

Racomelo is popular with young people and women, as honey neutralizes the bitterness of raki and makes the drink sweet.

You will find ready-made rakomelo in any supermarket, but I would not recommend purchasing it. It is better to buy crayfish and good honey and brew the drink yourself: the whole procedure will take you no more than 5-10 minutes, and the difference in taste will be enormous.

To make rakomelo, you will need to pour the raki into a turk and heat it up a bit over low heat. Then add a few tablespoons of honey and mix everything well. When you see that the drink is ready to boil, remove the turk from the heat without bringing the rakomelo to a boil. Rakomelo is ready! Like raki, rakomelo is served in karafaki with small glasses. Since the drink is served hot, it is recommended to wrap a paper napkin around the neck of the decanter. This way you will save your hands from getting burned. Rakomelo is prepared in small quantities in order to have time to drink the drink while it is still warm.

Metaxa

The first plant of the Greek company "Metaxa" was built in 1888. Since then, the company has firmly established itself in the world market for the production of alcoholic beverages, Metaxa cognac is known far beyond the borders of Greece. Cognac was supplied to the table of the royal courts of Russia, Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Serbia. Oddly enough, today Metaxa cognac is not very popular among the Greeks, it is ordered very rarely and most often in winter. There is no word "cognac" on the label, instead there is the inscription "original Greek alcoholic beverage". The thing is that after the Second World War, the word "cognac" has the right to be used only by alcohol producers from the French region of Cognac.

Metax's recipe is still kept in a thoroughly secret. It is only known for certain that in the production of Metax, three varieties of grapes and mature wine are used, which are placed in French oak barrels, and aged in them for at least three years. Each star on the Metax packaging corresponds to a year of aging.

A small bottle of Metax cognac with three stars costs about 13 euros.

Mastic

Greek liqueur with the addition of Chios mastic. Mastic is a resin derived from an evergreen shrub that belongs to the pistachio family. In Greece, mastic is very popular: it is widely used in cooking, chewing gum and even cosmetics.

As a rule, mastic liqueur is served chilled as an aperitif. Also, mastic is used after eating: "so that the food is better absorbed" - as the Greeks say.

The mastic has a very interesting sweetish taste and fruity-coniferous aroma. Having tasted this liqueur once, you will definitely not confuse it with anything.

The production of the palette is carried out in several stages. At the first stage, alcohol is mixed with mastic, placed in bronze containers and heated. It is believed that this is how the mastic will most fully give all its taste to the liquor. At the second stage, sugar, mineral water and alcohol are added to the already infused mixture.

A bottle of liquor in a supermarket will cost you 10 euros.

Tentura

Tentura liqueur is very sweet and strong enough, rich red-burgundy color. The homeland of the tentura is the Greek city of Patras. Today almost every winery in Patras produces this liqueur, and the taste of the tentura can vary considerably depending on the manufacturer. The basis of the liqueur is alcohol, cinnamon and cloves. Depending on the manufacturer, other spices and herbs may be present in the tent. Most often, liqueur is served as an aperitif.

You can buy a tentura in specialized stores called "Κάβα" in Greece. The bottle costs 18-30 euros, depending on the brand.

Beer

There are three main brands of beer produced in Greece: Αλφα, Mythos, Fix.

I will not undertake to talk about the quality of Greek beer, since I am not a great connoisseur and connoisseur of this drink, and even light beer from dark one can only be distinguished by color, and not by taste. But judging by what I see how young and old Greeks are equally actively buying local beer, we can conclude that Greek beer is a very worthy product, since the competition is high and there are many varieties of beer from famous European manufacturers on the Greek market.

My personal favorites among the Greek spirits are rakomelo and tentura liqueur. Just because they are sweet and delicious and because I'm a girl). I gladly buy ouzo and tsipuro as souvenirs for my friends when I fly home. The specific bottles in which these alcoholic drinks are sold always make a splash, regardless of whether the "gifted" liked the contents or not.)

Traditional alcoholic beverages are an indicator by which it is easy to determine the temperament of a nation, its attitude towards alcohol and everything connected with it. In Greece, strong drinks are an integral part of any feast: both the noisy fun of a large company, and an intimate romantic dinner.

Even in antiquity, the Greek people had their own traditions of wine drinking. Those who drank wine undiluted or consumed large quantities were identified with barbarians and nomadic tribes. However, if you look at this issue from the other side, you can find great contradictions. Everyone knows the legendary ancient Greek inhabitant of Olympus, the god of winemaking Dionysus (in Roman mythology Bacchus). It was his admirers who staged horrific drinking and other outrageous actions, with which, in their opinion, they appeased Dionysus and asked him for even more fun and wine. This bipolarity of ancient Greek society subsequently had a huge impact on the future of alcoholic beverages in Hellas.

Today in Greece, traditional alcoholic beverages are:

Ouzo. This is anise vodka with a fragrant bouquet of other spices. Its alcohol content is 40%. This drink is sold in many shops and supermarkets. In taverns, ouzo is served in small glass decanters. It is not known for certain from what time this vodka has been produced, but already at the beginning of the 19th century, several ouzo factories were built in Greece. The Hellenes have a tradition of adding a teaspoon of ouzo to freshly brewed coffee.

Tsipuro. This is how the Greeks call high-strength vodka (up to 47%), which is made from grape pomace or pomace from other fruits. This alcoholic drink was legalized only in 1988, although it has been produced since the days of the Ottoman Empire in Greece. Tsipouro is drunk at room temperature or chilled. The analogue of tsipouro in Italy is grappa, and in the eastern countries arak.

Racomelo. Cretan vodka reminiscent of Russian mead. Many Cretans use it as a remedy for colds. It is prepared from tinctures with cinnamon, cloves and honey. It is drunk chilled in summer and heated in winter.

Metaxa. This is the most famous brand of all alcoholic beverages, which is known all over the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, he was even awarded a special gold medal of the Russian Empire. This cognac drink (alcohol content 40%) appeared at the end of the 19th century after the successful experiments of Spyros Metaxas. Today you can buy Metaxa drink in almost any country in the world.

And finally, how not to mention the most excellent wine, which from those ancient times, according to the words of the Prophet David, "gladdens the heart of man." Traveling around Hellas, you can buy both excellent collection wines and wines at a cheaper price, but of good quality. The monastery Cahors is also in great demand among tourists.

Ouzo for the Greeks is an elixir for all occasions. The famous drink has a special place in the country. To some extent, this is an area of \u200b\u200bculture, an integral part of communication style and lifestyle.