I’ll have the Lion’s Milk

Toasting the skyline of Ankara

July 26, 2009 - Ankara, Turkey

Raki is the Turkish national drink. Made from fermented grapes and flavored with anise, raki is traditional served with a white cheese as an appetizer. It is known as Lion’s Milk because it is “mere milk to strong Turkish men.” Um, OK. If you say so.

Like all great drinks (shaken, not stirred), there’s a ritual to drinking raki.

• • First, make sure it’s ice cold (but never serve with ice).
• • Drink it only in a tall thin glass, never a shot glass.
• • And never ever shoot it or mix with other alcohol but do mix it with water, which will gives it that cloudy – or milky – appearance.

On my last night in Turkey, I want to raise my glass of raki and give a hearty ?erefe (cheers in Turkish)to some of the friendliest people in the world — the Turks!  Hip Hip Hurray!

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 26th, 2009 and is filed under Food & Drink.