Krostule - A Croatian Snack (with Rakia)

‘Pijane’ Kroštule (Photo: Fini recepti)

 There was a recipe I found that included rakia as an ingredient from Croatia recently.

Krostule is a traditional pastry made from the ribbon-shaped dough that fries the Istria Peninsula and Dalmatia.

The recipe is given as follows:

Ingredients:

Flour – 500 g
Butter – 150 g
White wine – 100 ml
Rakia – 50 ml
2 Eggs
1 Lemon
oil
salt
icing sugar
Vanilla sugar

Method:

1. Put the flour in a bowl and add melted butter, 2 egg yolks, grated lemon zest, vanilla sugar, white wine, rakia, and a little salt. Hit well.

2. Shape the dough into a bowl, put it in a clean bowl, cover it and leave it for about 30 minutes.

3. Spread the dough on a 5 mm rectangular sheet and use a pastry wheel to cut a strip about 15 (length) x 3 cm (width) in size.

4. Form the strip into a ribbon and fry in hot oil.

5. After frying for about 4-5 minutes, remove and cool when it turns golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Rakia and Spirits Festival in Sofia 2021

It has been a frustrating wait but at last, we have the go-ahead for the 2021 Rakia and Spirits Festival in Sofia. It will be held over two days namely May 29th and 30th. 

The venue is behind the National Palace of Culture (NDK). There will be more than 300 types of rakia and other spirits mainly from around the Balkan region. A selection of drinks such as fruit, anise will be present alongside traditional food that accompanies and complements the drinking of spirits. 

As you would expect, no one under 18 will be given access and tickets can be bought either at the NDK on the days of the event or on their website in advance.

Hope to be there.........

Peshterska Matured Rakia

Peshterska Matured is obtained by distillation of selected grape varieties - Rkatsiteli, Ugni Blanc, Dimyat and Pamid. 

It is aged for 6 months to 1 year in oak barrels and contains the classic 40% of alcohol. Peshterska Matured has won national and international awards multiple times. 

Tasters nationwide and worldwide recognize it by its typical amber colour, aroma of vanilla, delicate soft texture and fine taste of dried vanilla beans and nuts with light and sweet pepper notes. 

There will always be room for a bottle of Peshterska Matured at the heart of every Bulgarian as well as in their refrigerator.

Karnobatska Muscadine Grape Rakia

"Karnobatska Muscat Rakia" is the only Muscat rakia the aroma of which is achieved entirely environmentally friendly with natural and ecological techniques. The qualities of Muscat Ottonel, grown in the vineyards of "Vinprom Karnobat", have no analogue worldwide thanks to the exceptional terroir of the Karnobat region. To preserve the delicate Muscat fragrance which quickly loses its strength in the readymade beverage, the technologists of "Vinprom Karnobat" boil the rakia in special vessels equipped with silver filters. They retain the valuable Muscat notes of the distillate and purify it to perfection. The unique dogwood barrels in which the "Karnobatska Muscat Rakia" matures elegantly, accentuate the fragrance of Muscat Ottonel and enhance the taste with soft vanilla tones.

AWARDS:

• CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL DU VIN 2017 Silver medal 
• CONCOURS MONDIAL DE BRUXELLES Silver Medal from Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2016 
• VINARIA 2011 Silver medal & Honorary diploma 
• VINARIA 2010 Silver medal & Honorary diploma 
• VINARIA 2009 Honorary diploma 
• VINARIA 2002 Honorary diploma

Source: http://vinpromkarnobat.bg/Karnobatska_Muscat_Rakia.htm

Peshterska Grape Rakia

Peshterska Grape Rakia

Probably the best selling grape brandy in Bulgaria.

The unique blend of distillates gives it its characteristic soft taste and fine grape aroma.

It has received a gold and a silver medal at the international trade fair Vinaria 2004.

The makers say it is distilled from exceptionally flavourful grape vines.

Peshterska Rakia making process gives a delicate embodiment of the oldest Bulgarian spirit tradition. Warming from the very first sip, Peshterska gently unfolds its tender character and refined taste.

As is the tradition, it is recommended that this is served cold with Shopska Salad and good company.

Straldzhanska Muskatova Aged Rakia

Straldzhanska Muskatova Aged Special Selection brandy is created by choosing the ripest grapes. 

After distillation, the finest essence is left to mature further. The brandy is aged in oak barrels made of Straldzha oak that renders the taste unique. Aroma Rustic Muscaty flavor with a hint of vanilla. Color 

A crystal liquid with a slight amber colour Origin Yambol Region Variety Muscat Ottonel and Tamianka Alcohol 40% 

Pair with: 

Vegetarian food, pizza, pasta, BBQ, grill, cheese and traditional Bulgarian cuisine. Origin Yambol Region Variety Muscat Ottonel and Tamianka Alcohol 40%

Khan Krum Rakia

KHAN KRUM RAKIA

Khan Krum Brandy (Rakia) is made from quality grape rakia from selected grape varieties of Dimyat and Rkatziteli. I is matured for over 3 years in small oak barrels. It is sold in a totally unmistakable and unique 750 ml Bottle.

Producer's Notes are as follows:

"High quality grapes rakiya, produced using a classical technology from wine stock from the sorts Dimyat and Riesling. *СOLOUR : straw yellow, with golden nuances * AROMA : well developed bouquet * TASTE : mild and delicate, with extract duration as a result of the technology of distillation and maturation"

I do recall buying this rakia at duty free shops at Sofia and Burgas Airports respectively and enjoyed the Bulgarian moments of sipping a decent commercial rakia when in the UK.

Rakia Based Cures for Illnesses

Rakia is one of the most versatile of spirits and other then enjoying the unique taste and effect of the drink with family and friends on countless occasions it is used as a cure for various illnesses.

Having first arrived in Bulgaria in 2005 there is always a new use for rakia in the medicine cupboard - and they all work!

Hangover

It has been said that rakia is a cure for hangovers. Don't believe one word of it, this is an old wives' tale. All it does is nullify your original hangover and give yo another on later on. I know having tried it many moons ago.

Muscular Aches and Pains

I found out about this on this year and it works a treat having strain my right shoulder chopping wood. Simple mix around 200 ml of very strong rakia (60%-80%) with 6-8 small hot chillies peppers and a good dose of freshly ground black pepper and let sit in a screw topped jar for a week. The black concoction should be applied with a cotton pad and massaged in the sore area, preferably just before you go to bed. Works wonderfully!

Sore Throat

Sore throats is something I used to get regularly in the UK, but rarely in Bulgaria. Even so, when that time of a sore throat does appear, it is quickly soothed by a combination of honey and rakia. pure honey and homemade rakia heated up and drunk. this is a short term and immediate cure. An overnight cure is to soak rakia in a flannel and rap it around the back of your neck overnight. Morning brings relief and thanks to the wonderful world of Balkan magic tricks.

Oral Pain/Toothache

Rakia acts as a disinfectant which in turn can ease toothaches, mouth ulcers and many other oral ailments. Gurgling rakia can reduce pain by numbing the area albeit for a temporary while leading up to the trip to the dentist. However don't turn up to the dentist drunk, just gurgle don't swallow!

Infected wounds

Ordinary homemade rakia with an alcohol content of around 40% strength has anti-inflammatory properties and this is ideal for treating wounds and skin infections. Apply the rakia via a cotton wool soaked pad (womens' make up pads) and dab the area infected. The stinging is a sure sign that it is working and a short lived suffering for the long term benefit.

Temperature/Fever

A mix of chestnut infused rakia is used as an oil to use whilst massaging to bring the fever down works well. A very simple trick which will help bring you back to normal temperature and help rid you of the fever.

All said and done I hope you are not called to use these remedies, but rest assured rakia will come to your aid if you do.

2018 Sees Rakia Production Start Up Again

Having arrived back in Bulgaria in 2017, that year was a blank in terms of rakia production. Sadly I had to buy the product from other local rakia producers. 

Sliva finally stoned after 6 hours of labour

This include a wine/rakia producer in the village of Skalitsa 37 km SE of Yambol my old homeplace. There were three types, grape, plum and apple all of good quality as you expect from a wine producer. Another batch of plum rakia was bought from a place called Veselinova 5 Km North of Yambol from a villager living there. This saw me through 2017 and up until the Summer of 2018 where is was my turn to start up again.

Sliva or plum was the staple fruit and these were purchase from and orchard based in Veselinovo from a contact there where I bought last years rakia as mentioned. One party said that with the plums they had to be destoned before starting the fermentation another said there as no need. I took the former advice and it took 6 hours to destone 1000 Kg of sliva with sore and stained hands at the end of the day. A big hunk of labour which I thought might be  worth it if the quality was akin to the work put in.

Two Barrel of sliva must ready for distilling

So into the barrels as the fermentation started before we had finished toppin the barrels up with water and 25 Kg of sugar.

Within 21 days the fermationtion had completed and two barrel of rough wine was ready for distilling

The rakia house in Kukorevo, a village 3 Km South of Yambol was booked up with a small kazan reserved that could hold up to 150 litres of must. I knew there was at least 180 litres so was slightly nervous as to what to do with the surplus. Problem solved later on as you will find out.

The small kazan with a capacity of 150 litres of must

With wood for the burner bought locally and baking powder, salt and coriander seeds all added in the mix, the distilling proceeded. It wasn't' too long before the first batch started to pour out. 80% was recorded and t he first litre was isolated an put into a separate sealed bottled container for medicinal purposes.

The remainder of the rakia up until it fell to 40% was 60% and there was 17 litres of the stuff. Another hour for the lower alcohol content to reach down to 25% and this was gathered ready for adding to the next batch.

The surplus must (around 30 litres) remained in one of the big barrels and taken back home, still without a solution as to what to do with it at this stage.

17 Litres of 60% sliva rakia was produced

So, 30 litres of sliva must, 1 litre of 80% proof rakia, 17 litres of 60% rakia and 3 litres of 30% rakia was in the car and on route home.

The must was transferred into bottles and sealed in order for it not to 'go off' and it was decided after much thought to make another batch of sliva rakia and add it to that. this happen within four weeks and problem solved.

The main 17 litres of rakia was put into another smaller plastic barrel with mulberry wood (to darken the rakia) peeled and cored apples added (to absorb toxins and add aroma) as it sat and stirred daily for another 21 days before being ready to drink.

Apples and Mulberry Wood Added for 21 Days

Was the stoning of the plums worth the effort. I had been called foolish for going to the trouble of this by many and I can understand why as the finished product was the same as other rakia where the stones had mot been removed. As I found out, the stones sink to the bottom of the must and are not added to the kazan for distilling. As long as the stones are not broken or fractured which would add bitterness to the finished product, it make no difference. In my next, no sore and stained hands with the knowledge of this in mind.

Very happy with with batch of rakia which sits nicely in my glass every evening with a salad and my female companion Galia to say, 'Nastrave!'

Plum Celebration in Troyan and Oreshak, Bulgaria

The yearly Bulgarian Celebration of Plum in Troyan will be hung on 22-23 September 2018 and will unite every one of the admirers of the foods grown from the ground items. The celebration itself goes back to 1993 when it was first started out in Oreshak. 

The celebration is associated with the primary business of the Troyan area - the development of plum culture, the generation of the Troyan rakia, and a wide range of items – primarily sweet.

On September 22, the primary complement will, obviously, be the enormous Bulgarian festival - the Autonomy Day of Bulgaria, for which the coordinators will offer the inhabitants and visitors of the town a move execution of the Gathering "Chinari". Toward the day's end, the official beginning of the celebration will be given with a bubbly walk and a melodic program.

On September 23 toward the beginning of the day, a pot for bubbling rakia will be lit, and Bulgarian music will be played for the duration of the day from the open stage. Try not to miss the opposition for the best natively constructed plum rakia, which is customary for the celebration. We seek after the best one to win!

You can visit the workmanship workshops for earthenware production and cutting, live exhibitions of adornments making, improving flameworking, decoupage, woodcarving, painting, and so forth. You can likewise make something without anyone else's input or get some unique artworks, which you can take home. In addition, you can taste numerous tasty items there, attempt the rakia, or get other customary Bulgarian beverages.

If you missed it this year, there is always next year to look forward to....

Karnobatska Grape Rakia

The Karnobatska Grape Rakia is the only rakia on the Bulgarian market which achieves its unique purity by the power of an ancient Christian rite. The secret is the silver cross which the technologists of "Vinprom Karnobat" every year dunk in the cauldrons right after the rakia's boiling. Thus the rakia is purified to perfection and gets part of the sanctity of the Christian relic. Silver is the perfect natural way to eliminate residue in the most eco-friendly way and to give the rakia purity, rich taste and strong grape aroma. 

Today, "Vinprom Karnobat" uses the power of the precious metal in the form of special silver filters installed in the boiling containers. The key to the wonderful features of the "Karnobatska Grape Rakia” is the two unique local wine grape varieties Tamianka and Red Muscat. The Tamianka grape variety has been grown for thousands of years in Karnobat. It gives the superior flavour of the rakia and enriches it with colorful tinges of boxwood, geranium, rose and cloves. The Red Muscat makes the taste strong and rich. The rakia matures for months in unique dogwood barrels that can only be seen in the cellars of the "Vinprom Karnobat".

(Source: http://vinpromkarnobat.bg/Karnobatska_Grape_Rakia.htm)

Balkan Rakia Tradition for those Who Don't Know

This account popped up and gives a classic overview of the Rakia in the Balkans as we know it here. It doesn't take more than two minutes to read and conjures the want to try Rakia.

Site can be found here:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/rakija-rakia-balkans-brandy

Bulgarians Are Among Moderate Drinkers in the EU - Don't Believe it!

This was a report made giving a picture of drinking habits in Bulgaria. There has never been a more false or more distorted picture given in view of the reality of where Bulgarians get their supplies of alcohol. 

What is doesn't fully realise is that Bulgarian make their own wine and spirit and avoid buying it over the counter. Therefore the description of Bulgarian being moderate drinkers in Europe does not read true. 

Here's the statement giving the warped facts:

People in Bulgaria buy less and less alcohol, Eurostat data show. Last year, households in Bulgaria allocated an average of 1.6% of their incomes for alcoholic drinks. For comparison in 2006, Bulgarian families spent 2.1 per cent on alcohol. The biggest drop in spending on whiskey, vodka and beer, however, is in Lithuania, where for 10 years the population has cut their spending by 1%. European statistics show that annual spending on whiskey and vodka in the Member States is estimated at 130 billion euros, equivalent to 0.9% of EU GDP. This means that every year one person spends an average of 250 euros for alcohol, writes Monitor. 

 In this account, however, there is no spending on beer and alcoholic drinks in restaurants and hotels. 

Costs of home-made alcohol are also not included in the statistics. The data show that Bulgarians are in the middle of the beer and alcohol cost list. The largest share of their alcohol income is spent in Estonia, where an average of 5.6% of household money goes to alcoholic beverages. Although in the last decade alcohol costs in Lithuania and Latvia have fallen, these two countries are still among the leaders in spending on whiskey and vodka. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, 
Bulgarians consume an average of 11.4 liters of alcohol per year. According to the Organization, men in Bulgaria drink about 18 liters of alcohol per year, while women are limited to 5.3 liters. The report also shows that every Bulgarian drinks 37 grams of alcohol per day. The most popular alcoholic drinks in our country are the so-called ''rakia'' and mastika.

Taken From Novinite.com

Balkan Rakia and Spirits Fest - Sofia 2107

From December 1 to 3 2017 it is a great occasion for fans of Rakia and spirits. The fifth Balkan Rakia and Spirits Fest is to be held at the House of the Architects at 11 Krakra Street, Sofia. So be there or be square.

Last year 3000 people attended, and with that success 30 Companies that took part last year are returning for another round in 2017.

There ill be over 250 brands of rakia and spirits produced by Bulgarian rakia and other traditional alcoholic spirits from Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and other Balkan countries.

So at 16:00 on December 1st the doors will open. There will be the official announcement at 17:00 that Bulgaria will host the world’s biggest spirits competition, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Spirits Selection, to be held from August 21 to 23 2018 in Bulgaria’s second city Plovdiv.

The festival is open on December 1 from 4pm to 10pm, on December 2 from 2pm to 9pm and on December 3 from 2pm to 8pm. lots of time to sample and enjoy the wonderfully array of spirits the Balkans create.

Underground Rakia Making in Bulgaria

It goes without saying that homemade rakia is far better quality than mass produced factory rakia sold in shops in Bulgaria.

The homemade rakia bandwagon carries on even though there are laws which restrict the amount made for private use. It has been found that 60% of rakia made in rakia house around the country are not recorded or accounted for. It is no surprise this happens, who would want to put up with inferior rakia bought over the counter. Who would want to destroy the great culture and tradition of rakia making in a country that has practiced this without any harm to anyone bar businesses who want to make a profit for a small minority. 

There are always those who take advantage of any system like the rakia making process. I think most would agree that some monitoring should go on in this area, but not the detriment of those who make it just for personal use.

Interesting article basically backing up what has just been said.

https://www.euscoop.com/en/2017/11/27/confiscated-rakia-new-year

Yambol Grape Rakia - Yambolska Grozdova

YAMBOL GRAPE RAKIA

Yambol Grape Rakia is one of the most popular products of Vinprom Yambol and has been produced since the 1930s. 

Grape varieties to make this Rakia consist of the following:

Red Misket, Rackcitels and Dimyat. 

The use of original technology was developed by Vinprom in Yambol tuning this rakia into a favorite drink for many people. "Yambolska Grozdova" is a rakia type with a golden color and a soft and harmonious taste. There is a very pleasant grape aftertaste. It is produced in various bottle sizes, the most popular 500ml, 700ml and 1 litre (pictured). 

Awards earned for this Yambol Grape Rakia include:

Honorary Diploma, "Vinaria 2004", 

Bulgaria Gold Medal, "Vinaria 2005", Bulgaria

Current Collection of Rakia for Sale in Kaufland Supermarket

One of the biggest selection of spirits is in the Rakia section of the supermarket in Bulgaria. and why not it is the official National drink. On a trip to Kaufland Supermarket in Yambol I captured the selection for sale. 

Most of it is Bulgarian but there are a couple of Macedonian makes on the bottom shelf of one of the pictures. You can also see the prices which. The designs of the bottles are very attractive as a bonus to the contents although, home made rakia in the main is 'The King' and any self-righteous Bulgarian would prefer that option and not buy.

Bulgarian Cuisine - Rakia

Rakia

Bulgaria’s national beverage, rakia is made out of fermented fruits, usually grapes or different kinds of plums. People often mistake Rakiya for “brandy” but the two drinks are distinct in their distillation, fermentation, and ingredients. Every region has its own version of rakia depending on the local fruit crops.

Rakiya is a stiff drink, usually having 40% alcohol content. Home-brewed rakia can be quite stronger, depending on who’s making it. Bulgarians enjoy drinking it during dinner, ideally combined with a shopska salata and maybe a plate of cheese.

This was the description of Rakia as part of the best Bulgarian National Foods.

If you want to see the other arrays of foods and drinks that accompany Rakia as an important part of the Bulgarian Traditional and acclaimed dinner table visit this link:

Bulgarian-cuisine

Bulgaria Rated 24th in the World Alcohol Drinking Order

Out of the top 25 drinking countries in the world, Bulgaria is rated 24th with the equivalent of 9.72 litres of pure alcohol consumed per year. Rakia of course contributes to this greatly.

See others who made the list on this site:

http://micetimes.asia/called-the-twenty-five-most-drinking-countries-in-the-world-photo/

5 European Spirits to Sip During Your Next Trip

5 European Spirits to Sip During Your Next Trip: Europe offers so much more than great beer and wine.