Turkey is a country not only of strong men, but also of strong alcohol. Today we will tell you what kind of alcohol real Turkish men drink, what it is made of and what it is right to use it with.
Raki — what is it?
Turkish raki vodka, which is considered a national treasure, or rather, raki belongs to the category of spirits produced in the country. This type of product is distinguished by the unique aroma of anise.
At home, the drink is often called “lion’s milk”. Legends say that a sip of this “elixir” gives a person the courage inherent only to the king of beasts.
The name of Turkish alcohol comes from the Arabic word “araki”. This is how the Eastern peoples called a strong drink made from fruit residues obtained after distillation. Turkish people, who took the production technology as a basis, began to use anise as a basis for infusing. The result was a product with an original taste, which became the food “wealth” of the country.
What is raki made of?
Traditional alcohol is produced from grape must obtained during the distillation of berries. Anise root is added to the raw material, as well as an extract of the seeds of this plant. The product obtained as a result of infusion in oak barrels, together with the strength, acquires a persistent aniseed aroma.
Turkish people often make raki at home.
How many degrees is there in the drink?
Aniseed vodka belongs to the category of strong alcoholic beverages. It tastes a bit like brandy. The alcohol content is 40-50%. This indicator depends on the type of product.
In what proportion need to drink raki?
Aniseed alcohol is usually diluted before use. The recommended ratio is 1:3 or 1:4 (one part of alcohol requires three or four parts of water.
When diluted, the drink turns white. The resulting liquid looks like milk. The taste becomes softer, and the aroma loses excessive sharpness.
When you use it for the first time, you may feel a rather specific smell, but do not worry, you will like the taste much more.
What kind of appetizer to serve with raki?
The drink is served with fish cooked on the grill. It is popular to wash down seafood dishes with aniseed tincture.
Turkish people are very fond of Raki Balik. Balyk is a fish, the Turks believe that raki and fish are perfectly combined and create an ideal blow.
In addition to fish, a lot of delicious, traditional snacks are served to raki, which are called meze (meze). They are served in small plates, and there are so many of them that you can’t list them all.
We advise you to try this drink when visiting Turkey, in combination with fresh fish. After all, raki is not just an alcoholic drink, it is a whole folk ritual. And this drink will warm not only the body, but also the soul.
You can read this article in Russian language: Какой национальный алкогольный напиток пьют в Турции?
