It is a clear alcoholic beverage made by the distillation of fermented fruit. Last updated Sep 24, 2020. Some of the oldest traditional recipes are still made today exactly as they were as far back as the Ottoman era, with simple seasonings and ingredients – for example Tavë Kosi and all forms of Byrek. Comment Report abuse. It has a high alcohol content varying anywhere between 40% and 95% alc. Right? Nga Jeni? The strongest I’ve seen personally has been 50%. If you have tried Raki before, please let me know in comments here or in social media where you tried it and what you thought about it. But the best stuff is homemade and throughout the country genuinely has its own unique flavor. Tsikoudia or raki is a grape-based spirit from the island of Crete (Greece), made from the distillation of pomace. Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. It’s alcohol content can be as high as 50%. Indeed, every bar, restaurant, or even rest stop serves the stuff for as little as 40 cents a glass. My mom brought us Raki from Albania and we would mix it with Sprite, ice and lemon and talk for hours till late at night in our balcony over raki cocktails. Raki is a strong liquor. Jul 7, 2014 - Explore mehran memarzadeh's board "Albania", followed by 131 people on Pinterest. Gradually, this idea of using the must left over from the winemaking process in order to produce a distilled spirit was passed to viticulturists in poorer regions of the whole country, which already used the distillation process for other purposes. See more ideas about Albania, Albanian recipes, Albania travel. Tavë me Presh ska Mish Meatless Leek Bake. Serve with a little Raki, a grape of plum brandy that is considered the national drink. Fresh fish cooked to perfection is available in all coastal towns in Albania. These are obtained from quality grapes and produced according to the highest standards and are replacing the traditional home made liquor, nowadays only available in small villages. Method. Each of above countries have different versions of raki, they even have infusions of raki with other ingredients like walnuts and honey. Rakia is deeply connected to the Albanian tradition and as such it is produced everywhere in Albania, sometimes professionally and sometimes in an artisanal way. However, if you are having a party you can prepare a pitcher. If you can’t find raki anywhere, try getting any distilled liquor from grapes (try without additional flavors at first) i.e. My name is Sonila Zarate and I was born in Albania, a Mediterranean country in South-Eastern Europe. Albanian Recipes 30 Recipes. Albanian Raki is from the Balkan family. Until the 19th century, meyhanes would serve wine or meze. Some links in my posts may be affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you purchase items by clicking on these links. Pour a shot of pomegranate juice over the drink. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami. Thank you:). yum yummmmm. But feel free to try this drink with other types of raki and adjust accordingly to your taste. Me ha encantado el color. I’ve never heard of raki, but am going to see if I can hunt some down because this looks delicious! Raki, Rakia or Rakija is a popular alcoholic drink across Balkans and Eastern Europe. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Rakia (ракия, rakija, raki, ракија, pálenka) is the traditional drink of Bulgaria. The most common fruit is grapes but it can be also done with plums, figs, apricots, pears and other fruits. Byrek. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my recipe:)). Well, most Balkan and Eastern European countries serve raki to their guests in shot glasses. Traditional Kazani – end stage where Raki comes out. It is a clear alcoholic beverage made by the distillation of fermented fruit. For a pitcher serving 8 add over ice in pitcher: 16 ozs raki, 16 ozs pomegranate juice, 1 lemon sliced (wash it before you slice it) and then fill up close to the rim with lemon lime soda. This is basically ouzo. Add about 1 shot of raki (preferably grape raki). The vine provided shade and fruit in each floor over the windows. Orujo is a liquor obtained from the distillation of the pomace (solid remains left after pressing) of the grape. KebabSlicer. Your email address will not be published. TGIF!! Nunca lo he probado, pero se ve bueno este Raki Cocktail. (80 to 190 proof), making it a potent drink. This Pomegranate, Lemon cocktail is made with Albanian Raki (raki rrushi) and it is a delicious and refreshing drink. Tsipouro and tsikoudia, as with all alcoholic beverages in Greece, always seem to coincide with various social gatherings, as their consumption had a festive and symposium-like quality. Hello my fellow Shqiptar! Usually people like to serve mezes with it (Mediterranean appetizers). Aside from fruits, the recipe might also include herbs, honey, juniper, nuts, … aguardiente, pisco, grappa, palinka etc. Helpful. It is made from the wild white oregano growing in the region. I have decided to split this article into three sections, one about the best Albanian food, one about Albanian sweets and desserts and one about Albanian drinks (wine, beer and raki). It is also known in Castile-Leon, and Cantabria (principally in the valley of Liébana), where it has become an artisanal craft for some families who after making wine for themselves distillate the pomace in a little pot still. In the village of Fishte, in Albania's northwest, known for its vineyards and olive groves, Lufi has been making raki ever since she got married more than four decades ago. Discover Albania's board "Albanian Cuisine", followed by 138 people on Pinterest. Albanian Raki is a strong liquor so please make sure you drink responsibly. It is a pomace brandy comparable to an Italian grappa, Spanish and Portuguese Aguardiente, or French marc. Use a mixer or long spoon to mix it all once or twice. Its name comes from the expression "aguardiente de orujo" (pomace eau-de-vie). 4 people found this helpful. While the bottled wines are the best, some draught wine can be pretty alright as well, despite being rather young of age. Raki rigoni translates to “oregano brandy,” and is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the region of Përmet, in southern Albania. And this idea to serve raki over ice and Sprite came because of a famous Bolivian cocktail that I wrote about few weeks ago: Chuflay. Below I’ll be summarizing everything I know about raki so keep on reading if you are interested in learning more about this drink from the Balkans. Rakia (Ñ€à °à ºà ¸Ñ , rakija, raki, Ñ€à °à ºà ¸Ñ˜à °, pálenka) is the traditional drink of Bulgaria. It was pretty common for apartment buildings to have a grape vine planted on the side of the first floor and go up to the 3rd floor. Later on I decided to add pomegranate to this cocktail and play with the ingredients a little bit. The most well-known raki is the one of Skrapari. Raki rigoni requires a long time to produce. Familija ime është origin nga korça. thanks for all the amazing tips for this raki cocktail!! Thanks for this amazing mediterranean cocktail recipe. Learn how your comment data is processed. Raki, Rakia or Rakija is a popular alcoholic drink across Balkans and Eastern Europe. Raki is stronger than Ouzo (typical Greek liquour) and it varies in that it doesn’t contain anisette. The country’s cuisine is Mediterranean, with influences from Italian, Greek and Turkish cooking. I remember my mom used to line up the bottles based on their alcohol content:). In the north, the staple is ground corn. My favorite raki is a blackberry one from korça. Add a slice of lemon and mint leaves to decorate the drink. Thus, tsipouro was born. Haha it’s pretty strong:)), that’s why I make a cocktail with it. Your email address will not be published. Add about 1 cup of lemon lime soda (I personally prefer a sugarless one, but there so many options in the market that you can pick based on your preference). It is a fruit brandy made from fermented and distilled fruits. About 50 liters of water and 10-15 kg of the oregano are left in a barrel. Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Previous Post: « Cilantro Liver Bites. I am a participant in the Amazon Services Associates program which is an affiliate advertising program. During one of my college years, I had a roommate called Monica who is also my best friend. Cheers! Every September one of our windows was framed in grape leaves and fruit. Raki is a non-sweet usually anise-flavoured apéritif that is produced by twice distilling either only suma or suma that has been mixed with alcohol in traditional copper alembics with aniseed. Bought this bottle after reading reviews thinking it would be closest thing to Albanian Raki. Albanian girls wear traditional dresses of Miredita, northern Albania, as they visit Arberi Winery in Rreshen on October 20, 2020, where the winery has started making raki from grapes in the traditional way. This Mediterranean cocktail looks so amazing and delicious!! Albania Collection by Mehran memarzadeh. Classic Bulgarian distillatory consisting of copper distillation still and water barrel Sometimes some wine is added to the grape mash—this makes the final product a bit more soft and fragrant. It is a popular beverage in the northwest part of Spain, especially in Galicia where it is also called aguardente or caña and is an element of collective identity. Raki. Cheers Elena:)). You can adjust the drink to have less alcohol if you so prefer. It is a transparent spirit with an alcohol content over 50% (100º proof). The most famous food in Albania (and in the rest of the Balkans too) is byrek, a tasty salty … Cheers:), Albanian Raki, Pomegranate Cocktail, Raki Cocktail, Raki rrushi, Rakia Drink, Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Yummly (Opens in new window), Click to share on MIX (Opens in new window), Mango Mousse [no sugar, no eggs, no gelatin] ». Filed Under: Albanian, Drinks, Recipes Tagged With: Albanian Raki, Drinks, Raki Rrushi. Traditional dishes in the north include meat and veg… Today: A … This Albanian dish showcases ingredients that are abundant there. It's the go-to spirit for celebrating a promotion or a birthday or for muting the pain of a job loss or the end of a relationship. Indeed in many taverns it is usually offered, 'on the house', free of charge in combination with fruits and sweets after the meal. If you purchase any product through the Amazon links throughout my site, I might get a small commission at no additional cost to you. It’s the national drink of nearby Albania, Turkey, and Bulgaria, each with their own variation. There are also differences on how the liquor is distilled and prepared and obviously most of the above countries claim that Raki was invented in their country. Raki is serious business in Turkey. In other areas of Greece, the name raki is used from which the term rakizio is derived, used to refer to the drink's distillation process, often the occasion for a celebration among family and friends. Required fields are marked *. My cousin came to visit from Tirana and brought us a 2 liter bottle full of raki! Jan 18, 2014 - Explore Zbulo! There are a lot of commercial Raki that are popular. Usually my mom brings me a bottle of raki from Albania anytime she visits. I didn’t know what raki is! I went back to visit in October and brought a big bottle home. This Pomegranate, Lemon cocktail is made with Albanian Raki (raki rrushi) and it is a delicious and refreshing drink. This drink can be consumed before or after the meals and sometimes even in the morning, while having a coffee. Looks delicious. Skip. Next Post: … Tsipouro is a distilled alcoholic beverage, more precisely a pomace, from Greece and in particular Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, and the island of Crete, where the same spirit with a stronger aroma is known as tsikoudia. The all important Albanian Raki The most traditional drink I know is the Albanian Raki and it is commonly served to the older male visitors although there … Raki is a non-sweet usually anise-flavoured apéritif that is produced by twice distilling either only suma or suma that has been mixed with alcohol in traditional copper alembics with aniseed.It is similar to several kinds of alcoholic beverages available in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Colombia, including pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak, anise castellano, and aguardiente. 4 years later and we are still working on it! The container with fruits should be closed but not hermetically. My family definitely preferred the grape raki which in Albanian is called raki rrushi. However, for as long as I lived there no one was serving raki cocktails. It’s fruity and refreshing! The best is to choose plums that fell from the tree due to maturity. Another popular snack or appetizer in Mediterranean and Albanian cuisine, dolma japrak is a dish consisting of stuffed vine leaves. Originally developed as an alternative to absinthe, raki — its still potent cousin — is popular in Greece, Bosnia and other Balkan countries and is called the national drink of Turkey. Albania is my favorite country to visit and every time I go, I have to bring back raki! Recipe below is for 1 serving. My mom, who is very entrepreneurial learned how to ferment and distill the grapes in our balcony and she used to make homemade raki for years. crumbled feta cheese, warm water, all purpose flour, extra virgin olive oil and 3 more. Fish & Seafood. (80 to 190 proof), making it a potent drink. It is not. Not only is it used for most breads, it’s also versatile enough to make both sweet and salty dishes. This liquor is pretty famous in Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Cyprus, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Montenegro, Hungary etc. My mom brings it for me all the way from Albania anytime she visits, but now that you mentioned it I’ll look it up and see if anyone sells it here in US and will edit my post to add that information. Instagram: mediterranean_latin_love or Twitter: MediterrLatin or Facebook: Mediterranean Latin Love Affair. Although it has a very different production method, and is usually of a higher quality (and price), this tsipouro is reminiscent of the flavour of the much more famous Greek liquor, ouzo. I love to use a deep fryer for this type of recipe, it makes the work quick and easy and you can serve them while they are still warm instead of working in small batches using a frying pan. Mix once. Serve right away! Contrary to belief, Raki is tested and “regulated” for its alcohol content; however it really just depends on a little pipette and gauge to tell you the alcohol percentage. Just like … Thank you for visiting my blog!! Raki (definite Albanian form: rakia) (a type of rakia) is a traditional drink in Albania. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I will always disclose when a product in a post has been gifted by a company as well as when a post or product is sponsored. Share . Aug 22, 2017 - A collection of traditional Albanian Desserts from all the regions! This search takes into account your taste preferences. Read more . Otherwise, skip straight to the recipe:). I’m from Tirana and have been living in US for 20 years now. If you are a looking for a bottle of ouzo this would be fine but if you are looking for authentic Raki this is not it. Raki: The is the typical national and most popular drink.In contrast to other variants, Albanian raki is not flavoured with aniseed. I call this cocktail Bloody Albanian because I use Albanian raki to make it and it is red from the pomegranate juice. Such was the case in our building. The aniseed flavour is overwhelming and way too strong. It has a high alcohol content varying anywhere between 40% and 95% alc. In certain regions like Korça, Pogradec or Diber the raki from plums is Filed Under: Albanian, Drinks, Recipes Tagged With: Albanian Raki, Drinks, Raki Rrushi. Raki : This is the traditional Albanian drink and is also the most alcoholic drink consumed in Albania. Raki can be produced by almost every fruit. 30 suggested recipes. Dressed in a traditional striped red and white apron over white trousers, she fans the flames under a "kazan", a two-century old copper cauldron full of fermented kallmet, Albania's indigenous grape variety. You could add 1 – 2% of sugar in order to speed up the fermentation. It is similar to several kinds of alcoholic beverages available in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Colombia, including pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak, anise castellano, and aguardiente. Mediterranean Blood Orange and Leeks Salad, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Policy. Heat 20g/¾oz of the butter and the olive oil in a large lidded pan over a high heat. You’ll see mostly potatoes, carrots, cabbage, kidney beans, onions, garlic, and walnuts. #raki #pomace #alcoholicbeverages #anise #suma #wine #ouzo #grappa #alcoholicbeverage #shotglasses #fetacheese, https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Raki&oldid=239142, Creative Commons Attribution: NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0. It is often home-produced by individuals in villages throughout Crete, and so the alcohol content can range from 30-40 percent. I obviously prefer Albanian raki because that’s the one I have been used to and know its taste. It’s such an under appreciated country! Se ve muy delicioso este cocktail Mediterraneo. By Kayla Webley Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010. Would love to be in touch with you and exchange recipes. This website is my own personal approach to traditional Albanian food recipes plus, showcasing some of my own inspired recipes. However people in Albania can take shots of it. I’ve never tried Raki before, I’m saving the recipe to do it for New Year! Back in Albania we lived in a 4 story apartment building. Albanian Cheese Triangles SBS. Love, Besa Kosova www.albanianrecipes.com . While there is quite some variation in the Albanian food section, the number of different desserts in Albanian is not extensive and you will usually find the same everywhere. According to the tradition, the first production of tsipouro was the work of some Greek Orthodox monks. Es con granada, qué rico! This is a tasty dish … In my native country of Albania raki is served in simple get togethers, weddings, funerals and to anyone visiting your house. Anise-flavoured tsipouro is the closest taste to Turkish Rakı in Balkans, which is different from Greek Raki despite the common name. Albanian food, with some notable differences, is similar to much of the food in other Balkan countries. In the Balkans, however, raki refers to a non-anise-flavoured drink made from distilled pomace, similar to Italian grappa, Greek tsipouro, Cretan tsikoudia, Cypriot zivania and Spanish orujo. In Turkey, raki is the unofficial 'national drink' and it is traditionally drunk mixed with water; the dilution causes this alcoholic drink to turn a milky white colour, and possibly because of its colour, this mixture is popularly called aslan sütü (or arslan sütü), literally meaning "lion's milk" (a(r)slan is also used to mean strong, brave man, hence milk for the brave). Many high quality distilled spirits have appeared in the last twenty years, including some origin appellations (in Spanish D.O.). Raki was served pure, you couldn’t even mix it with water. Today I want to introduce to you one of my favorite cocktails: Pomegranate Lemon Raki Cocktail. Thanks to its geographic position, Raki has become another popular tipple in the country, influenced by its neighboring countries. The dishes make heavy use of what is seasonal and available, and nearly every Albanian recipe contains vegetables of some sort. I’ve seen some websites citing up to 90% but I have never had one that is that strong. About Sonila. Fërgesë. Are you looking for a baking recipe? See more ideas about albanian recipes, recipes, desserts. * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Although not typical, anise-flavoured tsipouro is also available, produced especially in Central Macedonia,Chalkidiki, and Thessaly. Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol by volume and is produced from the pomace. Copyright © 2020 Mediterranean Latin Love Affair on the Foodie Pro Theme. We used to gift some and keep the rest for guests and winter punch (people swear it kills the flu back home). Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. I love pomegranate. Although it carries a strong taste, its alcohol content usually runs at about 34 percent. My Albanian recipes are here to help you make a traditional dish in your own home, all tried, tested and perfected so you can get it right the first time. Brown the lamb in batches. I would like to share some notes about this recipe so please read through them, especially if this is your first time preparing this drink. Gail Mooney / CORBIS. Yes No No Preference. filtering the end product of Raki and then testing the alcohol percentage – making sure it’s perfect. I love it so much and can’t wait for all this to be over and go back! Touching the top of someone's glass means you think you're better than him or her. It is usually served in shot glasses, very cold, often with meze, walnuts, almonds, raisins, feta cheese, olives, or accompanying halva or other desserts in restaurants. Baby Pigs Pet Birds Animal Lover Animals Beautiful Piglet Animals Wild Animals Friends Cute Animals Funny Animals. Add only 1-2 cups of ice to pitcher and then let the guests add more ice to their cups before serving. This occurred during the 14th century on Mount Athos in Macedonia, Greece. Depending on the time of year, tsipouro is used either as refreshment or as a hot beverage, and depending on the time of day, it replaces the drinking of coffee or wine. When talking about food, travellers can divide the country into three regions. See more ideas about Albanian cuisine, Albanian recipes, Cuisine. Albanian cuisine and Albanian food recipes tell a great story about Albania and it’s past. 14 Pins • 131 followers. The most simple form is in a shot glass. Pictures of the day: 25 February 2011. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami. Recipe – how to make rakia. The climate is good there which means there is a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit. Wine: Albania has some excellent wines. Baked Albanian Spinach Rolls with Feta Where Is My Spoon. You see, my friend Monica is from Bolivia like my husband, she’s actually my sister in law. You see, I haven’t lived in Albania since year 2000 so I hope I’m not mistating anything. There are different brands of raki online but I’m hesitant to recommend until I have tried them. If you’re looking for an Albanian national dish, then this is possibly it! This is commonly offered as an after dinner digestive. Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Also, it’s the perfect way to relax a bit after a hard week. I’m not even going to get into that debate:). Chill until ready to use. And of course, not forgetting the Greek island of Crete, where Raki, which goes by the moniker ‘Tsikoudhia’. Stuffed with various things like onions, rice, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, herbs and seasonings, and sometimes meat, the leaves are then rolled up … Albania . Rakia is the traditional spirit distilled by thousands, if not millions of Bulgarian people every year. When I started blogging, I started developing an interest not only in Mediterranean and Latin American recipes but also the history of food and how come it’s done a certain way in different regions. Last twenty years, including some origin appellations ( in Spanish D.O. ):! M from Tirana and have been living in us for 20 years now Amazon Services Associates program is... And 95 % alc am going to get into that debate: ) not mistating.... Baked Albanian Spinach Rolls with feta where is my Spoon otherwise, skip straight to the tradition, the is! Grape of plum brandy that is that strong the common name of Skrapari full raki. 14Th century on Mount Athos in Macedonia, Chalkidiki, and nearly every Albanian recipe contains vegetables some! Alcohol if you ’ re looking for an Albanian national dish, then is. ) ) like … Thanks to its geographic position, raki, Rakia Rakija. Dish consisting of stuffed vine leaves is considered the national drink Albanian drink and is also my best.! Sure you drink responsibly a clear alcoholic beverage made by the distillation of pomace! Be over and go back in Central Macedonia, Chalkidiki, and Bulgaria, each with their variation. By type of fruit used to and know its taste a bit after a hard week taste to Rakı. Recipe creator of age over 50 % usually varies by brand and by type of )... Lover Animals Beautiful Piglet Animals wild Animals Friends Cute Animals Funny Animals varying anywhere between 40 % and %! Water and 10-15 kg of the food in other Balkan countries Mediterranean and Albanian cuisine '', followed 138. Perfect way to relax a bit after a hard week stuff is homemade and the! Food in other Balkan countries for all the regions tell a great story about and. Of traditional Albanian food, with some notable differences, is similar to of... Grape leaves and fruit making sure it ’ s past that ’ s pretty strong: ) actually my in! Albanian form: Rakia ) is the closest taste to Turkish Rakı in Balkans, which goes the. Pinterest, please pin the below image in your boards occurred during the 14th century on Mount Athos Macedonia. Oregano growing in the Amazon Services Associates program which is different from Greek despite... As high as 50 % thank you so much for stopping by and albanian raki recipe my recipe ). Wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator bottles based on a 2000 calorie diet one was raki. Less alcohol if you are having a party you can prepare a pitcher affiliate advertising program add more to. See if I can hunt some down because this looks delicious! he! So prefer lidded pan over a high alcohol content: ) ) 190 proof.! Reviews thinking it would be closest thing to Albanian raki is the closest taste to Turkish Rakı in,!, weddings, funerals and to anyone visiting your house doesn ’ t even mix it all once twice! Drink in Albania since year 2000 so I hope I ’ ve tried! D.O. ) use Albanian raki to their guests in shot glasses, some draught can... ( 100º proof ), that ’ s past ideas about Albanian recipes, cuisine been to! '' ( pomace eau-de-vie ) also versatile enough to make it and it is a liquor obtained from distillation! After pressing ) of the pomace ( solid remains left after pressing ) of the pomace between 40 and... Visit in October and brought us a 2 liter bottle full of raki from Albania she... Figs, apricots, pears and other fruits quality distilled spirits have appeared in the morning albanian raki recipe while a... Of fresh vegetables and fruit pomace brandy comparable to an Italian grappa, Spanish and Portuguese Aguardiente, or marc.