Vodka is a drink that accompanies humans in sorrow, joy, and simple relaxation. It's good to know more about vodka... Where was it born? When? From what product is it made? How was it used before, and how is it used today?
Vodka has a mixed reputation! Some consider it Heaven, some Hell! Both sides can be right.
Russians traditionally drink vodka for any significant occasion, like a wedding, the birth of a child, or a new job.
The appearance of the drink is not dangerous... it looks like simple water (in Russian the word vodka means "little water") and some people do not think about danger. Vodka, like any alcohol, can be very addictive, and if abused can lead to illness.
There is much speculation about where vodka was first created. We know that wine and homemade fruit wines have been used by humans for thousands of years.
The history of alcohol in Russia goes back a long way. It is widely believed that Prince Vladimir of Kiev chose Christianity over Islam in the year 987 simply to avoid the Muslim prohibition on alcohol. His words, "drinking is the joy of the Rus", are better remembered in Russia than his other historical achievements.
Real vodka appeared on the scene when Vladimir's countrymen learned the craft of alcohol distillation, probably from Tatar invaders. The Russian historian V.Pokhlebkin maintains that vodka was first produced in a monastery in Moscow in the middle of the 15th century.
Many monasteries, medicine-men, and natural healers used alcohol to create herbal tinctures that were prescribed to treat many disorders. Alcohol was much stronger than water for infusions and has antibacterial properties. Herbal tinctures became popular as new remedies and alcohol was used during surgery as an anesthetic. Today alcohol is still widely used in medicine.
The essences of many herbs were used to treat different diseases. The method of extracting herbal essences is simple: a bottle containing herbs is filled with alcohol. This mixture stands for 2 weeks and is shaken well every few days. It is then strained and the residue is squeezed out. The herbal extract or essence is ready!
Tinctures were sold by healers or in pharmacies and prescribed to use as drops. But the taste of some of them was so pleasant that people used more than was prescribed. Later, alcohol started to be used in cosmetics.
People from many different parts of the world used food leftovers (grain, rice, sugar cane, honey, fruits) for brewing "alcoholic" beverages which were used for traditional ceremonies.
Scandinavian countries, Poland, and Russia have a very special interest in, and commitment, to the development and improvement of the quality of vodka. Each of these countries has their OWN versions of vodka.
Vodka is a Russian word, a diminutive of "water" (likewise "whisky" comes from the Gaelic for "water of life"). The Poles may put "vodka" on their bottles, but among themselves they call it "gorzalka" ("horilka" in Ukrainian) from the root "to burn". Native Americans and Aboriginal peoples think of it as "fire water", which tells you something about the stuff.
The 80-proof Russian Vodka, the standard set by Tsar Alexander III in 1894, is just right for extended abuse. The 100-proof vodka, which is 50 percent alcohol, burns the mouth, but it can be fine-tuned by simply adding water.
It goes without saying that the only way to drink vodka neat is just out of the freezer, followed by a tablespoon of caviar on a toast. If you're out of caviar, use a slightly bent pickle.
Globally, vodka sales are worth $12 billion a year. As George Bernard Shaw observed, alcohol "enables Parliament to do things at eleven at night that no sane person would do at eleven in the morning."
Ironically, it happens that Russians are not the champions of vodka consumption and people in other countries drink more. But RUSSIAN VODKA has more fame and popularity!
Some Russian Vodka names:
Vodka " Absolut Standart"
Vodka "Absolut Tangerine"
Vodka "Absolut Pepper"
Vodka "Anis Cristal" (Special)
Vodka "Arbat de Lux"
Vodka " Arbat Elit"
Vodka "White GOLD " (Cristal-Kaluga)
Vodka" White Gold" Premium
Vodka "Bogorodsky" Strong
Vodka "Bogorodsky" Soft
Vodka "Bogorodsky" Special
Vodka "Gjelka" (Cristal)
Vodka "Gorilka-Nemiroff" Honey and Pepper
Vodka "Gorilka-Nemiroff" Special
Vodka "Zavalinka" (Cristal)
Vodka "Zolotoe Kolzo" ("Gold Ring")
Vodka "Ivan Kalita"
Vodka "Istok" Unique
Vodka "Okno V Evropu"
Vodka "OstAlco" (Cranberry/ Berrys)
Vodka "Parlament"
Vodka "Posolskaya" ("Embasy")
Vodka "Premier"
Vodka "Hello!"
Vodka " Russkiy Razmer"
Vodka "Russian Standart Platinum"
Vodka "Ruskogovoryaschaya"
Vodka "Salute, Zlatoglavaya!" (Lemon, Nutmeg, Grain Bread, Cranberry, Honey)
Vodka "Tressure of Russia With Gold"
Vodka " Old Moskow"
Vodka " Stolnaya" (Lemon)
Vodka " Stolnaya" (Special)
Vodka "Tambovski Volk"
Vodka "Flagman - Night Descent"
Vodka " Flagman"
Vodka "Flagman" Highest Content
Vodka "Chikovsky" black currant aroma
Vodka "Black Vodka"
Vodka "Ury Dolgoruky"
Vodlka " White Gold "
Vodka "Gold Jen Seng "
Vodka "Kauffman"
Vodka "Nemiroff Kurrant "
Vodka "Hollyday"
Vodka "Slavyansky"
Vodka "Stariy Gin"
Vodka "Black Sable"
Gorilka "Nemiroff"
Gorilka "Nemiroff " Light Infusion
Gorilka "Nemiroff" Honey and Pepper
Russian Vodka Recipes
Vodka Cocktails:
" Taras "
Cherry liquor - 1.75 oz (50 g.)
Stolichnaya vodka - 1.75 oz (50 g.)
Lemon juice - 0.35 oz (10 g.)
Preserve fruits - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
ICE - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
" Storm "
Starka vodka - 1.4 oz (40 g.)
Cognac - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
Orange liqueur - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
Lemon Juice - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
Fresh fruit - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
ICE - 1 oz (25 g.)
" Rio "
Putinka vodka - 1.75 oz (50 g.)
Fresh coffee - 0.35 oz (10 g.)
Slice of lemon - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
Grenadine - 0.35 oz (10 g.)
Fruits - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
ICE - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
" Morning Wind "
President vodka - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
Kuantro - 0.5 oz (15 g.)
Grenadine - 0.5 oz (15 g.)
Sweetened Condensed milk - 1.4 oz (40 g.)
ICE - 0.7 oz (20 g.)
" Monarch Redbull "
1/4 cup of Monarch vodka
3/4 cup of Redbull
How to make colored vodka?
Yellow color - use saffron.
Green color - use mint, fresh or dry.
Brown color - nuts and seeds shells.
Red color - use blueberries.
How Avoid Hangover
For some people, it is better not to drink at all because they do not know when to stop. Vodka can make you feel warm and joyful, and for a while you may be acting fine, and your speech may be OK, and you want to continue drinking.
But the next morning you may experience headache, bad memories, or no memories at all. Some statistics claim that Russians get drunk 10 times slower than Europeans, even though genetically they can't digest alcohol at all!
But if you read more information about vodka, you will know what to do before and after consuming the drink. If you know what to eat then you can enjoy this fabulous drink without any bad effect on your body.
Before:
Here’s what to do before the party. It is good to eat some oatmeal (porridge) with 50 grams of vodka. Doing this two hours prior to the party will prepare the organism and cause later consumption to have a less negative effect on the body. It is also helpful to be active before the evening; this prolongs the time to intoxication.
During:
Try to stick to vodka only. Chase it with food. Do not mix vodka with cola because this leads quickly to alcohol intoxication. And please do not drink more than you can handle.
After:
On the next day, concentrated broth, chicken or any meat, or the sour liquid from pickled cucumbers can help (that's what Russians do).
Beer is bad idea... it makes you feel worse! You can feel dizziness, nausea, giddiness and instability. If you have light intoxication, then 200 ml of water and 2 drops of ammonia alcohol will make your head brighter.
If intoxication is stronger, increase the amount of drops to 5-6. Also, 20 drops of mint infusion added to 200 ml of water will make you sober. The intoxication decreases, and headaches disappear.
Different populations come up with different cures from the common hangover:
Mongols use dried lambs eyes (crushed to powder) added to 250 ml of tomato juice.
In Poland: 1 spoon of meat broth, 30-50 ml of vodka, some lemon juice and a little black pepper - mix and drink.
In Puerto-Rico: 1/2 of a lemon is rubbed onto the armpits. It is believed that this causes intoxication to disappear almost right away.
Here are few more recipes for hangover relief:
"Rasputin" - 5 tablespoons of vodka, 1/2 cup of oyster juice, and one olive stuffed with anchovies. Many vitamins, minerals and micro-elements will be released to support the body.
Vodka itself is a great remedy for hangover:
"NOG" - 1 egg, one tablespoon of sugar, 4 tablespoons of cream, 4 tablespoons of vodka and nutmeg.
"ELK MILK" - 4 tablespoons of vodka, 1/4 of cup sugar, one tablespoon of orange blossom water, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, some ice, and 1/2 cup of milk. All ingredients are mixed in a mixer. (Add milk after everything else has been mixed.)
Vodka for Health?
Vodka is a drink with magical powers.
For centuries vodka was used as therapeutic and curative substance. Vodka strengthens the weak and tired. A shot of vodka can return life force faster than food.
Vodka is antiseptic, diuretic, antitoxin and sedative substance. It helped many solders of many wars as sedative in surgeries. Medicinal tinctures for many different diseases were sold in apothecaries, and diluted alcohol is widely used as disinfectant.
Vodka used externally by rubbing onto patient's body, chest, legs or upper back, and can reduces high fever.
Many people who live past 100 year milestone, have a habit to drink 30-50 grams of vodka or cognac every day. It helps prevent atherosclerosis and improve blood circulation. Sometimes a little vodka can help to fall asleep easily. In the winter people may consume alcohol to stay warm.
It is very important not to drink if you have medical conditions or use medications. NEVER drink when pregnant or nursing, before work, important day activity, or when operating heavy machinery!
NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE !!!