Part I of a series of documenting travel joy: indigenous liquor.
Our first stop is Albania. A region known as Arberia during the Ottoman days, which helped boost Christian morale as they resisted the Turks onslaught (as they took over country after country). Sadly because of their persistence in not falling back they suffered continuous warfare. But this is why we toast them and their local home brew liquid delicacies.
Albania
Albanian Moonshine (Raki) an alcoholic beverage sipped artfully by macho men, it is a non-sweet, anise-flavored spirit made from fermented grapes or plums. Same alcohol content to Vodka. And we weren’t kidding about sipping it artfully; it takes a crafted hand to produce Raki—the slightest mistake can turn a potentially perfect batch into a “soft Raki” which is not even worth a rinse and spit—this laborious task deserves respect and an artful approach when sipping this drink.
Not really sure if these boys in the video care much about artful sipping but lesson number 1 in cultural etiquette, always accept a drink from the natives even if it is early in the wee mornings.
