Acts of bravery, like approaching a nursing lioness, can say as much about your intelligence as your strength of character. Tearing the cubs away to take her milk suggest you lack sanity. All three traits are useful when you open a bottle of Raki.
Start with a fearless whiff and a straight taste just to appreciate how strong it is. Take note, this isn’t just for parties or late night drinking through the streets of Istanbul. If you’re looking for the best way to appreciate the bottle, get with a group of like-minded people. Use it to while-away the wretched hours of an afternoon, swapping tales of recent conquests and exploits. Alternatively, pass the bottle around at a book club reading of Elif Shafak’s, The Bastard of Istanbul.
Once everyone has a sense of the flavor, add water and ice. Skip the bravado and go for a lot on your first time. Keep adding water until the taste is just barely pleasant, the ice will continue to smoothen out the flavor. Swirl your glass and notice how the mixture clouds up in lactic-like beauty. You’re a cub and you need milk before you’re ready for the strong stuff. This isn’t about alcohol tolerance, but testing yourself against pure flavor. Each time you mix it up, move on to less and less water until you reach your limit. Enjoying it straight takes years to accomplish.
I imagine there must be someone out there who can compare the experience to securing real lion’s milk. Less alcohol—more adrenaline maybe. While I still have some sanity left, I’ll stick to what comes from the bottle.
- 1 part Raki
- 2-5 parts filtered water
- Ice cubes to serve alongside
- Several talkative people, of legal age, you can also tolerate all afternoon.
- For the average, black-licorice-hating American, this is going to take some of that strength of character. It’s likely not your fault you were introduced to anise in such a despicable way, and no doubt, far too young.
- There are official Raki tumblers. They’re fluted toward the top and bottom, supposedly to enhance the smell. I’m not convinced they make a difference, but they are fun to hold onto when they’re frosty and the buzz hits.
- If you actually do the book club thing and make a game of it, (shots on bastard for example), see if you can make it to the first time Raki is mentioned. If anyone does, you either chose a lame word, or I must hear your tale.
- In Istanbul it’s considered uncouth to be seen drunk in public, but it happens anyway.
- Raki was thought to be a remedy for heart disease… medicinal, I like that but hardly need any more excuses.
Raki, Istanbul
