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Vodka:
A
bit of history and some interesting facts:
"The
following information is provided at
the readers or users own risk. BestofUkraine.com
takes no responsibility for it's content."
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Vodka is a typically colorless
liquor, usually distilled from fermented grain. It is commonly thought that the term is taken
from the Slavic word "voda"
(woda, вода) for "water." In Ukrainian "vodka" is "horilka".
(with the words root meaning being "to burn")
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Except for insignificant amounts of flavorings, vodka consists of water and
alcohol (ethanol). Vodka usually has
an alcohol content ranging from 35 to 60 percent by volume. The classic Ukrainian
or Russian vodka is 40 percent (80
degrees proof), the
number being attributed to the famous Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. According to the Vodka
Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Mendeleev thought the perfect percentage to be
38, but since spirits in his time were taxed on their strength the percentage
was rounded up to 40 to simplify the tax computation. Nowdays you can also
find 38 percent vodka, but is
usually called "Light"
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Although vodka is generally consumed
"straight" in its Central European and
Scandinavian homeland, its growth in popularity elsewhere owes much to its
usefulness in cocktails and other
mixed drinks, such as the Bloody Mary, the Bullshot, and the Vodka Martini (also known as a Vodkatini), a dry
martini made with vodka instead of gin.
The origins of vodka (and of its name) cannot be traced definitively, but it
is believed to have originated in the grain-growing regions that now embrace Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and western Russia. It also has a long tradition in Scandinavia.
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Vodka may be distilled from any starch/sugar-rich
plant matter. Most vodka today is produced from grains such as sorghum, corn, rye or wheat. Among grain vodka, rye and wheat vodka is
generally considered superior. Some vodka is made from potatoes, molasses, soybeans, grapes
and sometimes even byproducts of oil refining or wood pulp processing. In some
Central European countries like Poland some vodka is produced by just fermenting
a solution of crystal sugar and some salts for the yeast and then distilling this
after a few weeks.
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A common property of all vodka, compared to other spirits, is that before any
flavouring is added, they are neutralized as much as possible. This is often done
by filtering it in a column stil during distillation, and filtering through
charcoal and other means after distillation. The idea is to remove everything
except pure water and pure alcohol from the liquid. As a result, vodka has a
very neutral taste.
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Apart from the alcoholic content, vodka may be classified into two main groups:
clear vodka and flavored vodka. Flavorings often include red pepper, ginger, various fruit flavors, vanilla, chocolate
(unsweetened), and cinnamon. Ukrainians produce a commercial vodka also that includes
St John's Wort (a plant).The Poles and Belarusians add the leaves of the local bison grass to produce
Żubrówka or Zubrovka
vodka, which has a slightly sweet flavor and a light amber color. In Ukraine and Russia, vodka flavored with honey and
pepper (Pertsovka, in Russian, Pertsivka, in Ukrainian) is also
very popular. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodka)
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During
the times of Peter the Czar, there was a custom: that
each foreign ambassador at the courtyard should drink « the
so called "
Cup of the White Eagle" being » - one and a half
litres of vodka. Foreigners were in shock and began
to bring imposter ambassadors: one would
drink, and the other would discuss important subjects.
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Up
untill the 19th century the percentage of
vodka varied from 25
to 38 degrees. Vodka was made
in a very basic fashion: they took a bucket
of spirit and a bucket of water
and mixed it all together. As soon
as the "cocktail" ceased to
burn , it was vodka. After
the invention of the spirit meter
they discovered that this happens
at 38 degrees. Later it was
decided to impose a tax on vodka
by number of degrees. But the
number 38 was inconvenient for calculating,
so
in 1894 a large commission convened with
Mendeleyev as the head of it to prove that it was possible
to bring vodka's proof to
40 degrees without a problem.
It was thought to be an optimum
degree to enjoy its taste.
If the drink were stronger - it would
simply
burn.
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There's a rule: It's better not to cool vodka
too much, even though it is possible to swallow
inferior vodka more easitly when cold. If the
drink is of good quality, -don't chill the
bottle in the freezer. You'll be able to tenjoy
it's
superior flavor more thoroughly.
To
get maximum enjoyment from your favorite Vodka simply
use water as a chaser.
Be
advised: according to tradition, a
large meal should cover the table when you are
going to drink substancially. A big bottle and
a big meal go hand in hand. The most popular snacks
are pickled vegetables. Most agree that even untill now, in this realm,
mankind has not invented anything more ingenious
than the pickle! Fish is also a favorite, especially - salted
or smoked. Most common being salmon, sturgeon, or
herring. Sweets
and dairy products are not appropriate with vodka.
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What
does it mean to drink "na
pososhok"? This tradition
is very old. Visitors who were
coming from far away lands had a staff,
or walking stick, known in russian
as a "posoh", It had a hollowed
out hole on
top. A glass of vodka
was usually placed in that hole..
If the visitor was able to drink the
vodka and not
touch the glass with his hands,
it meant, that his guest was still
ok and could get home on his own
without too
much trouble. But if the glass should
fall
out, it's taken as an indication
to put his friend up for the night.
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Hangover:
If
you're feeling that it's hard to get up the next
morning,
it means you probably had a drop too much. In fact all of
these discomforts' can be avoided if you stick to some simple
rules developed over the centuries.
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Hangover
symptoms are common knowledge. It can be
a headache,"dry
mouth" and sometimes stomach
problems
. If your head
hurts in the morning, head to the
fridge and grab a few icecubes.
Make a cold compress and apply to
your forehead.
In a couple of minutes you will
feel better. A headache starts because the
alcohol causes the blood vessels' to
expand. Under the cold compress the situation
will quickly normalize. Mineral
water with a lemon can ease
your thirst. Usually, Ukrainians
like to drink fresh brine (pickle
juice) in the
morning.
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Additionaly,
it helps to replenish your depleted body with
minerals and salts.
Tea with sage herb can quickly ease and
normalize your
stomach. A glass of cold milk or, even better, a glass
of "kefir" (butter milk) can also help.
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If,
in addition to drinking, you are also
a smoker, then drink plenty of orange
juice as it restores the stock of
vitamin C destroyed by
nicotine. Capsules with vitamin C
can also be helpful. Doctors advise
to take a contrast(cold and hot) shower, or even
better, have a bath with sea salt
(best with lavender essential
oil). Take your time and don't
be overzealous. Let your bath be for 10-15
minutes, and then in about forty minutes or
so you
will feel much better. Your body will
be
quickly cleared of the alcohol related
poisons.
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Of
course, if you want to avoid the unpleasentries
of bingeing, simply
"don't drink too
much". Know your limits and heed the
warning signs.
Boodmoe!!
(Cheers!!)
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