Rakia and Black Pepper - A Cure For Sore Throats

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Rakia and freshly ground black pepper has been used as a cure for sore throats in Bulgaria for generations. With the onset of a sore throat a piece of linen is soaked in rakia and freshly ground black pepper is spread over it. The linen is then place around over throat with the pepper-laden side in contact with skin whilst lying down.

This is left on for around 20 minutes and repeated every few hours. The result more often than not is a very much-relieved throat. This is not just an Old Bulgarian wives’ tale, but a remedy that actually works – I’ve seen it in action. I just can’t wait to get a sore throat to try it out one day. I’m far too healthy, which is good as I get to drink rakia rather than applying it.

Barbecued Pork In Rakia Based Marinade Recipe

Another day another discovery of a food that makes use of Rakia. This was found recently one particularly hot day at lunchtime. A Bulgarian friend of mine was preparing for a barbecue for the evening and I followed his preparations for the evening meal. He had taken some home produced pork and cut it up into roughly 2cm chunk and mixed in into a marinade that we had prepared beforehand. The meal was absolutely stunning and it was the marinade that made the food transcend from being great to fantastic.

It is no secret now as I was there with him recording the ingredients that he had put together. Everything was locally or home produced, except the Soya sauce and black pepper. All these I’m sure can be substituted using supermarket based produce.

The meat can be any meat but pork it the best to use with this marinade as it compliment the Rakia based fruity flavours very well. Chicken is a good substitute. Red meats are to be avoided with this marinade, as the meat flavour is too strong.

Barbecued Pork In Rakia Marinade Recipe

Serves up to 6

20 minutes preperation, 6 hours marination and 40 minutes to cook

Ingredients:
2-3 kg of good quality pork meat cut into 2 cm cubes
500 g homemade goats yoghurt
3 teaspoons red pepper (paprika)
100 gm homemade rakia
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
10-15 whole black peppers
1 handful of fresh parsley roughly chopped
1 garlic finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
2 dashes of dark Soya sauce
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly and place in a container that has an airtight lid. A plastic Tupperware type container would do or do as we did using Pyrex dish that you can stretch place Clingfilm tightly over. Make sure you use one big enough for the meat that is to be added and small enough so there is not much air space once sealed.

Place the meat in the container and mix really well so all the surface of the meat is covered. Seal the container and place in a fridge for at least six hours.

Using skewers thread the meat and put the marinade to one side once all the meat had been prepared for barbecuing.

The charcoal should be on a medium burn and the skewers turned frequently with the marinade being used to baste on each turn until it is all used up.

Once cooked, serve hot and just enjoy with plain white bread a salad on the side, which should have been dipped into already with a glass of Rakia.

Bulgaria's Simeon I Rakia Brandy - Various Descriptions

I have gathered reports on a Rakia called Simeon I (A Former Bulgarian Tsar). I have seen it many times standing on shop shelves in Bulgaria, it stands out as it has a very decorative label. I have not had the chance to try it as there are too many homemade rakias that are drunk at home rather than commericial rakia.

The quotes I have given are from various sources, obviously most are trying to sell the product, but it does give you a description of this interesting mass produced Rakia, not too much about the qualities of the actual drink though.

.....A fine grape rakia under the name of The Tsar Simeon I is available in many online stores and in high street shops and supermarkets, not only in Bulgaria but worldwide......

.....The bottle is just as interesting as the rakia and this makes ia an attractive gift is visiting friends and family for a special ocassion.....

......There is a wide variety of alcoholic drinks at very moderate prices.
The 'rakia' (brandy) is the national drink. It is made of grapes, apricots or plums. There are different brands. (A bottle of Tsar Simeon rakia, among the most expensive ones, costs $8.....

Rakia Involved In Bulgarian Weddings

I found a great article explaining thew traditional Bulgarian wedding. It is well written and of course refers to rakia as part of the ritual leading up the marriage. I recommend that you might want you follow the link at the end of the exerpt to get and read the full article. Again, a very informative peice fo writing.

.......then, the young man sent his father to the home of the chosen girl. If the young man was an orphan, he would send his mother or his closest friends but he would never go on his own.

They would usually bring "rakia" ( a very strong home-made beverage which is made of plums or grapes and resembles the german "schnapps" and the French "eau-de-vie" ), a small bouquet of "zdravets" ( an evergreen plant with no flowers nor buds, which is considered a symbol of health and prosperity ) as well as some gifts for the girl and her father.

The girl's father, considered the master of the house, offered the guests a drink. If he approved the match, he would give his blessing. Then he was supposed to ask his daughter three times if she could accept the marriage. If she confirmed, the family sent small gifts, cookies and wine back to her future groom and his family........

Source: http://antonella-ilmatrimonioineuropa.blogspot.com

Ginger Rakia - Made In The Bachkovo Monastry

This is the first time I have heard of Ginger Rakia, it must obviously be a speciality form the Bachkovo Monastry. I can only assume they still make it there and present it to VIP guests or sell it to tourists. Simeon of course is the former King of Bulgaria and then became Prime Minister and still has an active role in politics. I wonder where that bottle of Ginger Rakia is now!?

Father Superior Presented Simeon With Ginger Rakia

Simeon and his wife Margarita left the Bachkovo Monastery with a bunch of geranium and a bottle of ginger rakia (brandy). The sprays, given by Father Superior Bishop Nahum, will be planted in the Vrana palace for health. The Prime Minister arrived at the Monastery on a private visit, taking a group of 12 guests from Spain and Greece. The monks welcomed him praying for health and longevity for the Bulgarian people and the Government. The Monastery's FatherSuperior Nahum presented Simeon with 7 red painted eggs standing for the seven Christian sacraments. Apart from the famous ginger rakia, the PM was given a bottle of monastery wine. On leaving, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha promised to come each year on the second day of Easter and take part in the litany with Virgin Mary's icon to the Kluviata site. Later the PM and his spouse invited their guests to have lunch at the nearby restaurant Jamura. Then the whole group got on the bus and headed for Plovdiv on sight-seeing in the Old Town. Simeon took his guests to the king's residence in the village of Banya in the evening.
Kostadin Arshinkov

Source: www.paper.standartnews.com

Rakiwi Fizz On The Rocks

One of the best drinks I have had for many a time was given to me from a Bulgarian friend. The weather was very hot, not wind and we were all dying for a drink as we sat down in the grape trellised garden. His wife, a superb cook, prepared a drink for us all but didn’t' say what it was until we tried it.

Green drinks don't always appeal to me, but I got passed the look and tasted the fizzy drinks under the layer of ice - It was fantastic! There was a little kick through the ice cool fruity taste that reminded me of something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I had to have the recipe as the drink cooled us all down from top to bottom!

After lots of teasing the simple recipe was given. It was a simple mix of kiwi pop and Rakia with lots of ice. This was a family recipe that they often have during the summer evenings and of course give guests. It goes great with Bulgarian snacks like serine, salami and any type of salad. It would certainly appeal as a women's drink to those ladies who can't handle neat Rakia. I can't help thinking that they would have to dress up in the right outfits to suit the bright green colour of the drink.

We have nicknamed it Rakiwi Fizz and the recipe is given here:

Rakiwi Fizz Recipe

Serve 4

Ingredients:

1 Litre Kiwi Flavoured Carbonated Pop
300 ml Homemade grape or sliva rakia (45-50% alcohol)
Lots of crushed ice
a sprig of mint for garnish

Method:

Simply pour the lemonade carefully into a jug. Then add the rakia and stir gently. Pour the mixture into the serving glasses leaving space for the ice. Add a handful of the crushed ice to each glass. Add the sprig of mint and serve with a straw.

PERFECT FOR HOT SUMMER EVENINGS