A DRINKER'S GUIDE TO EASTERN EUROPE
RULE ONE: AVOID THE FOOD | November 30th 2007
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Bottle-scarred Economist correspondent Edward Lucas breakfasts on plum brandy, lunches on balsams and dines on bison-grass vodka, but draws the line at a side-dish of Hungarian lung stew ...
Special to MORE INTELLIGENT LIFE
The ex-communist world has a deserved reputation as a culinary wasteland (see box, below right), but the drinks are something else. Travellers to Prague find that the "real" Budweiser from Ceske Budejovice (no relation to its rice-based American counterpart) makes even the national dish of dumplings in gravy go down without protest. Winemaking has been transformed since the Soviet era--when bottles had to be inspected for wasps and snails, the former merely a nuisance, the latter stomach-turning (at least for foreigners).
But the real treat is the hard stuff. Every country from the Baltic to the Black sea has a national tipple, usually served in both industrialised and home-made versions. In Romania, tuica (also spelled tzuika, tsuika, tsuica, or tzuica) is the traditional start to any meal. It is made with plums, and bears a startling resemblence to the sljivovica of neighbouring Serbia. Both drinks are part of a delightful family of fruit brandies popular from the far corners of the Balkans up to modern Poland (an area that bears a coincidental resemblance to the Ottoman empire in Europe at its height). For the adventurous, visnjevaca (sour cherry) dunjevaca (quince) and smokvovaca (fig) are well worth a try. You may find these in shops, but you are better off finding a peasant farmer somewhere in what used to be Yugoslavia.
Westerners may think that hard liquor is for after dinner, but these drinks are usually apertifs. To help you digest, the best drink in the region is Unicum. Anyone who likes Italy's Fernet Branca, or German's Underberg, will feel that they have graduated into elysium when they try it. The flavours are an intense mix of liquorice, ginger, coriander and cinnamon (that's guesswork: the recipe is secret). It brings tranquility to even the most overburdened stomach. Latvia's balsams is a close rival--and a neck ahead for those who like its flexibility. It has a stronger tinge of burnt oranges; Latvians put it in their coffee or in fruit salad. With Champagne (or any old sparkling wine) it creates a terrific cocktail.
Any offer of absinthe in eastern Europe, by contrast, should be shunned as firmly as any suggestion of a return to the planned economy or the one-party state.
Having accustomed your liver to the demands of life in "new Europe", it is time to move north. Poland and Russia tussle for the right to be the "real" home of vodka (an argument that the Swedes and Finns regard with bemused disdain: how can anybody take these Slavic squabbles seriously?). Having sorted out the national question, the serious drinker has to decide between vodkas made with different feedstuffs (barley, rye, wheat and so forth). The nasty stuff produced in western Europe is made from farm surplus products, disgracefully subsidised by the taxpayer. The cheapest of all is synthetic alcohol, produced in factories by a chemical process. If you think all vodka tastes the same, just try drinking a cheap one.
If your palate finds little difference amid the clear vodkas, you can ring the changes with the flavoured kind (for example with chili peppers, ginger, fruit, vanilla, chocolate or cinnamon). Best of all-in your correspondent's view-is Zubrowka, a Polish (or Belarussian) rye vodka flavoured with bison grass, a stalk of which can be found in the bottle.
Sadly, the scent of newly mown hay that makes Zubrowka so seductive comes from the presence (in tiny quantities) of coumarin, a toxin that can be legally used in perfumes, but is prohibited for use in foodstuffs in America. The version sold in America now is coumarin-free.
On the whole, though, the names of vodkas vary more than the contents. Lithuania used to have one called "Dar po viena" (roughly "Let's have another one"). Romania, astonishingly, has a vodka called "Stalinskaya"; Russia's favourite Stolichnaya (Capital) brand, disgracefully, uses Soviet kitsch in its advertisements, including pictures of the murderous founder of Soviet communism, Vladimir Lenin, who is described as a "visionary". That is something to discuss over a Zubrowka or six.
(Edward Lucas is deputy international editor, and correspondent for central and eastern Europe, at The Economist. His book, "The New Cold War--How the Kremlin menaces both Russia and the West", will be published in February 2008 by Bloomsbury in Britain, and Palgrave in America.)
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Comments
Get some Cipro you fearful fool!!
November 30, 2007 - 18:39 — Tyler (not verified)Mr. Lucas,
What kind of a foreign correspondent do you consider yourself, exactly? Your subhead of "RULE ONE: AVOID THE FOOD" belies an air of cultural superiority that I have found to be prevalent amongst the 16-25 year old British tourists/ party boys I have encountered on my European travels. I would never have expected the same from a writer associated with The Economist (should I have?).
While I would agree that Eastern Europe is lacking in Haute Cuisine choices, I would never go so far as to call it a "culinary wasteland". I, as an American of Polish ancestry who has traveled around Eastern Europe and experienced the food and drink, take particular umbrage at this bit of hyperbole.
If your so scared of offal, which, judging from the list included with your article, you are, why travel? Why wouldn't you just stay home and eat fish & chips every night? If in fact, you do have some sense of adventure, get some cipro, and start eating all the foods you are fearful of, and I guarantee you that at least you will have expanded your horizons a bit.
And to other readers: fear not Eastern European cuisine (or absinthe), for what is an Intelligent Life without a little adventure?
That sub-headline
November 30, 2007 - 19:24 — Robert CottrellMy choice of sub-head, I'm, afraid. Edward knew nothing of it. But allow me to let the comment stand, because I think it's a good read.
Tripe soup
December 3, 2007 - 14:56 — Mihnea (not verified)Sir -
I do believe you should try our tripe soup again.
Regards,
MD, Bucharest
hang on a moment
December 3, 2007 - 15:13 — Visitor (not verified)I am not scared of offal. I love Polish flaki (tripe soup) because it is spicy and tangy and delicious. The Romanian version is lukewarm sour cream with large chewy lump of tripe, rather than the shreds you find in the Polish version.
CEE food
December 5, 2007 - 20:35 — Visitor (not verified)I am Romanian and the Romanian tripe soup is the best soup I ever had. That is home made tripe soup not restaurant ones. You can criticize the politics of some of the countries or other aspects but don't mess with our food :-)
Especially if you're coming from the "Fish&Chips-country". Millions of people eat fish and french fries without thinking there is something special about it. Also the Romanian tuica is never spelled "tzuika, tsuika, tsuica, or tzuica" in Romanian (so the wikipedia entry you used is wrong). The first letter from "tuica" is not a "t" but a "?"; that is pronounced as a "tz" but is never spelled that way.
Tuica
December 5, 2007 - 23:01 — Robert CottrellIn addition to adding the offensive subhead, I was also responsible for stripping the accents out of Edward's piece. They were all meticulously there in the original file. I did that because our character set can't handle some of the marks, including the one on first letter of "tuica". That intended character appears as a "?", as in the comment above.
bottlescarred.....
December 8, 2007 - 17:30 — John Polhem (not verified)....Mmmmm...i wonder if all this accumulated consumption of east euyropean rocket fuel is somehow related to EL's ferociously opinionated views of E Europe, esp Russians.
Ethnic hatred as a correlate of annual average alcohol consumption. With reference to Sweden and Republika Srpska, discuss.
Nonsense
December 27, 2007 - 18:31 — Peter Fitzgerald (not verified)Describing the "ex-communist world" as a "culinary wasteland" is jarringly unsophisticated for a journal touting itself as "Intelligent Life." Sophisticated, unprejudiced palates will find endless rewarding culinary adventures in Eastern Europe, not to mention the wonderful cuisines of the Caucasus and Central Asia. But I suppose this point has already been made.
And calling Stolichnaya (a second-rate vodka with slick marketing in the West) "Russia's favourite brand" is absurd. Russian Standard commands over 60% of the Russian market in premium vodkas. A fascinating and tasty topic, but an ignorant, and condescending article.
Easter and Western Europe both have great food and drinks
February 21, 2008 - 13:47 — jason (not verified)I agree with Pete on this though I haven't been to eastern Europe I have friends from there who's parents were borne there and cook traditional dishes all the time. Not to mention watching Anthony Bourdain's no reservations when he went to Moscow and other countries showing the food which they eat on a regular basis. Pancakes and caviar maybe not for me but the lamb and meat dishes look awesome from any of the countries. As for vodka i'm a big fan and drinker of it, all my friends stick with johnny black or other whiskeys. We don't abuse alcohol but drink it when out for a good time with friends. In Greece when were there we usually get Ursus Vodka it's made in western Europe I think in the Netherlands it's not strong it's drank straight and the Rotter flavor with sloe berries is amazing a totally new taste that you just cant find in the US. Europe both east and west are full of great dishes and drinks that we would love to have here in the states given the chance.
Eastern Europe Food and Drink
May 26, 2008 - 11:43 — Visitor (not verified)Interesting choice of words from someone who has no experience. I just came from my home in Arad, Romania to my home in the central valley in California. (The 'bread basket' of the world!)
I have been all over eastern Europe and have a completely different take on their food and drink. I was born and raised in the USA and got married to a Romanian lady back in the 90's and was amazed at the food and drink in eastern Europe. Especially Romania. The main difference in the foods of eastern Europes' countries is in the seasonings. An onion is an onion nomatter where you go, but the spices and prepairation make the change in tastes.
The author of this ignorant article has never eaten food in Mexico either I guess! I HAVE along with 4 different eastern European countries and can't compare what I've seen and eaten in those countries to what I've seen and eaten in the USA. What can I compare it to? McDonalds? Has this author ever eaten McDonalds in eastern Europe? Well I have and maybe he oughta try THAT comparison instead! What IS our traditional food in the USA? Hamburgers? Well THAT'S a German invention! Pizza? Well that's from Itally! Ever eat Pizza in Itally or Romania? Well I HAVE and it makes pizza in the USA taste like cardboard with tamatos and cheap pepperoni on top. You CAN'T even compare the two. Pizza in Itally and eastern Europe isn't about tamatos and cheddar cheese!
There's NOTHING as good as locally cooked traditional third world food....PERIOD!
The traditional food in the USA is nothing more than a watered down version of someone elses traditional food just as with turkey and maccaroni! (Indian and Itallian)It's just NOT as rich tasting as we think in the USA, and THAT is the traditional USA style! Ever eat french fries cooked in tradional fasion in France? I've had that experience too and you have NO idea what a French fry really should taste like based on your McDonalds/Burger King experience! (Bon Appetite!!!)
And YES, ?uica is NEVER spelled with the variants this ignoramous is telling you. The T in 'tuica' has an appostraphy ( , ) just under it which denotes the 'tz' sound. It's not even a T in the Romanian alphabet. So to tell people the word can be spelled any other way is only showing the readers how ignorant you are. One thing to remember also, is that eastern Europeans had been struggling to survive during the Russian oppression (Not to mention before they came into power!) and have been accoustomed to use every bit of an animal in their foods.
Much as in any 3rd world country like Mexico where you can't afford to cherry pick your steak as do 'some' Americans! So you can't make a credible argument of their foods baised on the differences of ingredients when you can't even appreciate the taste!
NO food I've ever eaten in the USA has EVER tasted as good as what I've eaten in the 3rd world countries and even in eastern Asia. Also they usually cook with fat instead of oil which also adds to the flavor. (Hence the common sense shot of tuica BEFORE eating!)
My recommendation to anyone who wants to check out eastern Europe and Asia is: DON'T forget to eat the tradtional foods to truly experience the culture.
(And YES, the tuica is like no other alcoholic beverage you'll ever taste. And you better hurry, as I'm writing this eastern Europe and Asia is being 'watered down' from immigrants comming in from the west and the cost of living there (including visiting/vacationing) is becomming VERY expensive as the dollar becomes weaker and weaker!)
Hmm!
January 9, 2009 - 18:04 — Andrew (not verified)"We don't abuse alcohol but drink it when out for a good time with friends. In Greece when were there we usually get Ursus Vodka it's made in western Europe I think in the Netherlands it's not strong it's drank straight and the Rotter flavor with sloe berries is amazing a totally new taste that you just cant find in the US. Europe both east and west are full of great dishes and drinks that we would love to have here in the states given the chance."
Now you have really sparked my interest! I will have to tell some friends who are currently overseas and have them report back to me on Ursus Vodka.
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