Or liquor has been produced for a long time. Almost every country has a special recipe for making these drinks. You can use various spices in cooking, increase the strength, change color, but anise always remains well recognizable. Its specific taste and aroma is hard to confuse with something.
How did the tincture come about?
Anise tincture or liquor has been used by many creative people as a source of inspiration.
Each nation has its own anise-based alcoholic drink. Italians prepare sambuca, Greeks prepare ouzo, Turks prepare raki, Arabs prepare arak. If a person likes native anise, then, most likely, he will also like other anise-based drinks.
As for our homeland, anise vodka appeared in our country back in the Middle Ages. But anise liqueur began to enjoy popularity in the 17th century. It was then that caravans with spices began to come to us from eastern countries.
What is anise made from?
Then the drink could be of two types. This happened due to the fact that the anise itself is of two types: green anise (grows with us) and star anise - Chinese anise.
One anise was transparent and sweet, it was made from two types of anise at once, the second was bitter. It included green anise, dill, lemon peel and coriander. The second was most often used for medical purposes.
Tincture in the modern world
Interestingly, in Europe and Asia, anise tincture (or liquor) is the leader in the production of alcohol, but in the Russian Federation it is not produced at all.
Therefore, the inhabitants of our country have to prepare this strong drink at home. Anise is not only tasty, but also healthy. And most importantly, it is easy and quick to cook.
Beneficial features
- Anise tincture (or liquor) improves digestion. It is used for problems with the gastrointestinal tract. If there is such a problem, you need to use syrup three times a day, one tablespoon.
- Also, this saves from viral diseases of the respiratory system. The effect will be stronger if you add to and hawthorn. You can dilute 5-10 drops of this collection in a tablespoon of water, but it is better to add honey to a tablespoon.
- If you have overcome a sore throat, you can gargle with anise. Not in its purest form, of course. 50 grams of tincture is diluted in a glass of water. If rinsing is done with an interval of 60 minutes, the result will please you on the first day.
- Anise relieves pain during menstruation. You need to take 5 ml 3 times a day.
- Surprisingly, this alcoholic drink is recommended for nursing mothers. You need to add 2 tablespoons of tincture to tea with milk to improve lactation. Such a small amount of alcohol will not harm the baby in any way, but the fact that anise has a positive effect on lactation has been known since ancient times.
What is absinthe made from?
The most important component of the drink is wormwood. It is this herb that makes real absinthe unique, since the content of thujone in essential oils is simply over the top. In fact, thujone is a poison. Thanks to this component, absinthe tincture is so popular.
This 70% drink comes in a variety of colors, from clear to dark brown. But most often it is emerald green.
But if you add water to absinthe, it will become cloudy. This is because essential oils are separated from diluted alcohol. They The price of absinthe is also different, from 1200 to 3500 rubles, and depends on the country of origin and the amount of thujone.
In the 19th century, the drink gained considerable popularity due to its unusual and strong effect. There was even a period when alcoholism was called absinthism. There were cases when lovers of this tincture ended up in a madhouse.
The action of the tincture
The price of absinthe is quite high, but this does not affect its popularity in any way. If the tincture is real, then intoxication will not be similar to the effect of other alcoholic drinks. But it is impossible to predict exactly what the reaction will be. It can be a calm, relaxed state, and bouts of euphoria, or maybe contagious causeless laughter. The action of absinthe is more like a narcotic than alcohol intoxication. Most of all, the behavior of an absinthe drinker depends on the mood and internal state of a person before taking alcohol.
Some lovers of the emerald drink talk about a slight change in vision. Sometimes the perception of color changes, and in some cases the picture is slightly blurred. Large objects are not clearly visible, and small ones are generally barely distinguishable. An increase in pain threshold is also often observed.
How to drink absinthe
This drink is quite bitter. Especially the one bought in the store. But if you properly prepare the tincture at home, you can significantly reduce bitterness.
It is best to use absinthe in the classic way. A piece of sugar is placed on a special spoon, the spoon is held over a glass of tincture, and water is slowly poured onto the sugar. Sweet water, getting into absinthe, makes it cloudy. Its color changes, the drink becomes white with yellow and green splashes. It is believed that sugar neutralizes the action of thujone.
Anise and alcohol are a successful union. So much so that virtually everyone can accurately determine that this alcohol is aniseed. Meanwhile, there are a lot of anise-based alcoholic drinks.
First, let's figure out what anise is. It is a plant that is grown all over the world, but grows wild only on one Greek island called Chios. Just think how quickly it spread around the world!
An interesting fact: the following types of plants are used in the production of anise drinks - common anise, star anise and star anise. The last two are not anise (star anise is the same star anise). However, all drinks made from all of these plants are considered anise. By the way, there is also “Chinese anise”, “Indian anise”, and so on, that is, any plant that is similar in taste to anise and replaces it in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages and spices in a particular country.
Well, at the same time, anise alcoholic drinks can differ significantly from each other depending on the country of origin, the strength of the alcohol and the type of plant.
A bit of history
In ancient Rome and ancient Greece, anise has been used since ancient times as a medicinal plant, and since the 14th century this plant has spread throughout the Mediterranean. In Russia, anise appeared relatively recently: in the 30s of the last century.
The production of anise drinks on an industrial scale has an uneven history: in some countries they started doing it very early, in others - literally just. However, anise is equally loved in all countries of the world.
Anise tinctures are most common in Greece, Italy, Spain, and many Mediterranean countries. The origin greatly affects the taste, so each anise tincture is original and unique.
What are anise tinctures
Let's start with alcohol, which has anise, which is known to many - this is absinthe. Of course, its main component is wormwood, but even without anise, absinthe would not be the absinthe that we all love so much.
Let's move on to those drinks that are more aniseed, that are really aniseed.
The famous Greek anise tinctures are ouzo and tsipouro, France is famous for its pastis and alcohol with a laconic name - anise. All of us are familiar with Italian sambuca. Many drank Turkish raki, and some even got to know the taste of arak, which Lebanon and Iraq are famous for.
Do not forget about Perno - anise tincture, which can be considered the "progenitor" of absinthe. By the way, there is also ricar - this is a tincture that was invented after absinthe was banned, so to speak, as an alternative.
You can always buy anise alcoholic drinks in the WineStreet store.
As a result of the revival of old recipes for making strong alcoholic drinks, aniseed vodka became available again. What is it like drinking a drink that was popular in the times of Pushkin and Chekhov, Ostrovsky and Turgenev and so beloved by Emperor Peter I and his entourage? Now we'll tell you.
In the article:
Anisovka in Russia
What is special about a strong anise-based tincture? The combination of anise seeds with citrus zest, flavored with a small amount of cumin, gave the vodka a unique spicy inimitable aroma, taste and aftertaste. This combination has made anise vodka incredibly popular in Russia since the 16th century.
Since the advent of the still and the beginning of the production of strong alcohol from fermented sugar-containing raw materials, distillers have sought to improve the taste of strong drinks and give them new flavors. Most often, freshly brewed alcohol was flavored with various substances of plant origin, especially various spices, which made it possible to obtain a persistent aroma and significantly change the taste of the finished drink.
Initially, star anise, which is still called Chinese anise, was used to flavor alcoholic beverages. The fruits of a huge tree with a spreading crown, which are small stars, were transported from China to Europe along the Great Silk Road.
Given that the star anise was fabulously expensive, they were looking for substitutes, trying to find a combination of various oil plants that give a roughly similar taste. The research was crowned with success, and instead of star-shaped fruits, seeds of anise ordinary, common in the middle lane and southern regions of Russia, began to be used.
The aroma and taste of anise seeds almost repeats the taste of Chinese star anise, but the cost is much lower and, most importantly, they are “always at hand”. Even the unique property of essential oils contained in anise vodka to take on a milky white color when strongly cooled is similar in both plant species.
Vodka on anise in Russia and Europe
Born and popular in Russia in the 16th-17th centuries, vodka, infused with Chinese or local anise, was an indispensable attribute on the tables of the royal retinue and the aristocracy close to him, but, nevertheless, at present this drink is practically not produced in Russia.
anise fruit
"Moving" to the West along the Great Silk Road with caravans of spices, it became popular in the most distant corners of the European continent, having undergone changes not only in the name.
Having conquered with its taste lovers of social events and meetings of local bohemia in European cities, anise vodka is still produced in France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and is widely used both for making all kinds of cocktails and for use in its pure form.
But in the recipe, adjusted to the cultural characteristics of different peoples, one thing in the anise remained unchanged - the use of anise as the main flavor. Let's try to trace what composition and properties are hidden behind the various names of anise drinks.
Anise drinks in different countries
The most common anise drinks in Russia were vodka and liquor. After leaving the Russian state, passing through Europe and the north of the African continent, anise tincture changed its name and received many additional ingredients.
Anisovka in Greece
Obtained by distilling alcohol with the addition of water, anise seeds, a small amount of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. The drink contains about 40% alcohol and is served with traditional snacks.
The second popular Greek drink is Tsipuro. Made from grape pomace with the addition of apples, figs, quince or strawberries, the drink has an excellent taste. But only in Macedonia and Thessaly does it become a truly aniseed drink, after the addition of this fragrant spice.
Anise drinks from France
French drinks Pastis and Pernod, which include star anise and common anise. And if two types of anise, licorice and color are necessarily added to Pastis, then in Perno, more like absinthe, dill and several types of aromatic herbs are necessarily put.
Sambuca from Italy
In addition to anise, there is black elderberry, the Latin name of which gave the name to the drink. Along with elderberry and anise, sambuca includes a large number of aromatic herbs, the exact composition of which has not been disclosed.
Mediterranean countries
Arak, common in Turkey, Lebanon, as well as in the Middle East and even in Buryatia, made on mare's milk with the addition of anise and a set of herbs, practically does not heat and is easily consumed in the heat.
Widespread in the northern and western Mediterranean, Anisetta is a 25% alcohol liqueur with an amazing taste and aroma.
The composition of anise vodka
The main component of anise vodka is high-quality distilled alcohol made from grain or fruit raw materials. To obtain alcohol, the mash is distilled several times and only then the necessary components are added. In addition to star anise and common anise, it can be dill, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and about 50 types of aromatic herbs. To soften the taste, you can add honey, sugar.
Anise drinks are saturated with vitamins and minerals that help the body cope with many ailments; it was not for nothing that anise vodka was originally considered a medicine. They contain B and PP vitamins, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium and calcium, which are so necessary for our body.
Anise Properties
Essential oils and useful components that pass into the alcohol solution during the infusion of the drink have both a favorable, as a result of dosed use, and a harmful effect on the body. As well as any medicine in case of overdose.
The ingredients that make up the anise improve digestion, ease the work of the stomach and induce appetite, so you simply cannot find a better aperitif before a hearty dinner.
Numerous colds, problems with stool and digestion, treatment of sore throats and diseases of the oral cavity - this is not a complete list of indications for the use of anise vodka in small quantities, either alone or as part of infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs.
It should not be forgotten that anise vodka, with a high content of essential oils, has been used since the 16th century as an aphrodisiac, gaining particular popularity among the court retinue.
Along with the beneficial qualities of anise, one should also take into account its negative properties that can harm the body in case of excessive use:
- Allergy-prone people who may experience negative consequences, even death, should refrain from using anise.
- Anise vodka is contraindicated in patients with epilepsy and people with increased excitability of the nervous system.
- When using a tincture for external use, it should be diluted with water to prevent a burning effect on the skin.
- And like any strong tincture, anise, consumed frequently and in large doses, can lead to alcohol addiction.
How to drink anise vodka
Any anise tinctures that cause increased appetite are used without diluting as an aperitif for cold appetizers before a hearty meal. Small, up to 50 grams, barrel-shaped glasses are suitable for this, so that the anise flavor is concentrated at the very nose.
The first glass is drunk with an appetizer of seafood, hard cheeses or salad, and after 2-3 minutes you can send the next one after it, filled with about 2/3 of the volume. Now you need to wait 20-25 minutes until the body gets used to alcohol, a pleasant warmth spreads throughout the body, and profuse salivation indicates an increase in appetite. At this time, you can lean on hearty hot dishes. After that, you can drink another glass or two anises, but already for dessert.
There are many cocktail recipes where aniseed vodka acts as the main ingredient, but is used diluted along with juices and other drinks. Here, the aroma of anise and a slight heady effect of weak alcohol come to the fore.
When drinking anise, you should remember that this is, first of all, vodka, and even flavored with a large amount of essential oils and other components, depending on the recipe. Some of the components of the drink in large quantities can cause hallucinations, so the most important thing is to stop in time.
Anise vodka- a strong alcoholic drink based on anise.
Drinks that belong to this class exist in almost every country. So, in Turkey it is crayfish, in Italy - sambuca, in France - pastis.
Anise vodka, like other alcoholic beverages, has its own ancient counterpart. Herbs and spices have been infused with vodka since the Byzantine era. The monks who lived on Mount Athos also drank such a drink. In Turkey, there is even a legend that monks invented adding anise to vodka.
Anise-based drink gained particular popularity in France in connection with the ban on absinthe. The recipe for absinthe was invented by Madame Enrio back in the 18th century. Then it was sold to Pernod-Ricard, which produced the drink in huge quantities. Absinthe very quickly conquered the Parisian society. In the 19th century, not a single bohemian party could do without it. The popularity of the "green fairy" was significantly reduced after the harm that absinthe caused to the body was established. In 1915, the drink was officially banned, and its lovers, in search of an alternative, turned their attention to aniseed vodka. Firm "Pernod-Ricard" especially for the French population has developed a tincture called "Pernod", which resembled the taste of absinthe. This tincture is produced in our time, it is very popular all over the world. Later, Pernod Ricard released Ricard, an anise vodka flavored with licorice. The taste of this drink is even more reminiscent of absinthe.
Vodka "Pernod" and "Ricard" are usually used in cocktails, they are often diluted 1:5 with various syrups.
The recipe for aniseed vodka has been known since the Middle Ages. Anise came to the territory of Russia in the 16th-17th centuries. Since it was inexpensive, the local population began to use it widely in everyday life. It was included in recipes for gingerbread, gingerbread, and other pastries. Alcoholic drinks were also made on its basis. Anise has become the most famous flavoring additive for Russian vodka, and traditional sbiten was also prepared with it.
In order to get aniseed vodka, it was first necessary to prepare grain alcohol, and then insist herbs, spices, and berries on it. The main component of such a drink has always been anise. Further, the drink was distilled, eventually a product of 37-45 degrees was obtained. The drink was either consumed in small quantities on its own, or diluted with water.
Anisette vodka was praised by Peter I himself. Initially, it was made from expensive Chinese anise, also known as star anise. Chinese anise was the fruit of a tree of the Magnolia family. In the 16th century, a similar method of flavoring vodka began to be used, but now using a different plant, the so-called "Russian anise". These were the seeds of one of the plants of the Umbelliferae family with a similar aroma. Soon, Chinese anise began to be replaced by Russian, which had a simpler taste and was considered a cheap raw material. A drink based on Russian anise was also called anise vodka. These two drinks existed at the same time and came out under the same name.
Types and names of anise vodka
Alcohol connoisseurs around the world liked the anise-based vodka so much that today each country produces its own version of such a drink.
In Turkey, they produce an anise called " crayfish". It is made by distillation of infusion of anise, rose, fig.
Anise drink is also very popular. arak, which is famous and quite popular in the Middle East. It is very easy to drink in the heat, belongs to the class of anise brandies. Nomadic peoples prepared arak on the basis of mare's milk, more precisely, from fermented koumiss with a strength of about 5%, after distillation its strength is 30%.
In Russia, there were two types of anise drinks at once: liquor and tincture. The liquor was distinguished by a sweet taste, it was made from a mixture of two varieties of anise. The tincture was made from green anise with the addition of dill, coriander and lemon zest. The tincture had a bitter taste and was used advantageously for medicinal purposes.
In Italy, the world-famous tincture " Sambuca". This drink has a pronounced aroma, it is drunk in its pure form or as part of alcoholic cocktails. Sambuca goes well with ice and coffee beans. At home, it is customary to drink the drink “under the fly”. To do this, two coffee beans are placed in a glass, sambuca is poured, the drink is set on fire and drunk after it has cooled.
Greece is famous for a wide variety of anise alcoholic products. Here they produce the strongest anise tinctures. These drinks are produced under the name "Ouzo", their strength is 50%. Ouzo a bit like an Italian sambuca. It is produced from the distillate of grape pomace, as well as pure alcohol, infused with anise. The composition of ouzo also includes aromatic spices, such as cloves, fennel, coriander. For the Greeks, Ouzo is a real national treasure on the international market.
Only the anise alcoholic drink that was produced exclusively in Greece using the original technology can bear the name "Ouzo".
In France, you can find a drink called "Anisette Marie Brizard". It is made from green anise seeds, as well as 12 plants.
In Spain, the drink "anis del mono" is especially popular. The peculiarity of this drink is that it is sold in a special bottle, the shape of which was invented by the owner of the factory for the production of this vodka, based on a bottle of perfume. In addition, the drink also attracts attention with its label. It depicts a chimpanzee with a human face, holding a bottle of vodka and the inscription: "This is the best anise, proven by science." Also produced in Spain are "gorilla anise" and "tiger anise".
How to drink and what to eat?
It is correct to drink anise vodka as an aperitif. Anise perfectly stimulates digestion, and also causes appetite. Greek anise vodka "Ouzo" is drunk both on its own and as part of cocktails. It is used as an aperitif.
Beneficial features
Useful properties of anise vodka are due to its composition. Initially, this drink was used to improve digestion. A certain amount of anise essential oil remains in vodka, which is also beneficial for the body.
Since anise vodka is at least forty percent alcohol, its beneficial properties include a disinfecting effect. With the help of such a drink, wounds and cuts are often treated if there is no medical alcohol on hand. Anise vodka can also be used as a preservative. It is added to dishes and products that need to be stored for a sufficiently long time.
Among other things, anise vodka acts as the main ingredient for the preparation of anise tincture, which also includes anise essential oils. Tincture is used in order to improve digestion, as well as against diarrhea. Take this remedy half an hour before eating and do not drink water.
Anise vodka will help to cope with such unpleasant diseases as tonsillitis, bronchitis and tracheitis. To combat these diseases, it is recommended to add seven drops of vodka and one spoonful of honey to hot tea or herbal decoction, and then drink this drink twice a day for two weeks. A drink with the addition of anise vodka has a calming effect, improves the outflow of sputum and allows you to cure the disease much faster without poisoning the body with medications.
Among other things, aniseed vodka can be beneficial in the following cases:
- with painful menstruation in women, one teaspoon of vodka should be taken three times a day after meals;
- for problems with teeth and gums, it is recommended to add twenty drops of aniseed vodka to a glass of water and rinse the mouth after brushing your teeth;
- during lactation, nursing mothers should add two teaspoons of vodka to a glass of milk, and you should not worry about the alcohol content, since there will not be so much of it to harm the body of the mother or child.
Intense heat can be removed by rubbing with aniseed vodka. To do this, mix an alcoholic drink with water and vinegar in equal proportions, moisten a clean cloth in the resulting liquid and wipe the patient's body, paying special attention to areas such as the back and legs.
Also, you should remember that the abuse of anise and any other kind of vodka can be harmful, so you should be careful about treating diseases with this drink. Stick to the recommended proportions, and then anise vodka will only benefit you.
Use in cooking
In cooking, aniseed vodka is used to make cocktails, as well as some dishes. For example, it is great for cooking fish soup.
You can also cook a more interesting dish called " Red fish gravlax". This recipe has a long history. Fishermen from Scandinavia many years ago cooked the fish they caught in the following way. They rubbed it with a mixture of pepper, salt, sugar, spices, and then buried the fragrant fish in the sand, above the high tide line. In order to make the taste of the fish even more harmonious, it is recommended to use a small amount of alcohol, preferably aniseed vodka.
Gravlax can also be prepared at home. To do this, we need fish fillet, dill, spices, sea salt, anise vodka. Black, allspice, and also pink pepper in a pot and cumin are ground in a mortar to a powder, a little salt and brown sugar are added. Next, they take a container in which the fillet will be stored, grease it with aniseed vodka and the resulting spices, add finely chopped dill. On the spice spread the fillet of red fish with the skin down. Fillets on the reverse side are rubbed with spices, aniseed vodka, sprinkled with herbs. A board is placed on the fish, something heavy will need to be put on top. The container is closed and left for 6 hours, after which it is placed in the refrigerator for 2 days. In two days the fish will be ready, it is eaten cold with fresh cucumbers, red caviar.
Anise vodka is great for making cocktails. So, with the help of Greek ouzo vodka, you can make some wonderful cocktails. For example, you can please your friends with a simple cocktail under the sonorous name "Greek Tiger". To prepare it, we need only two ingredients: orange juice and ouzo. In a shaker, mix 30 ml of ouzo and 120 ml of orange juice, add ice. Also, anise vodka goes well with lemon juice, it can be used instead of orange.
The Iliad cocktail can be prepared by mixing 60 ml of Amaretto liqueur, 120 ml of anise vodka, 3 strawberries and ice in a shaker. The drink turns out to be very tasty, women will definitely like it. Men, as a rule, prefer to use aniseed vodka on its own or dilute it simply with cold water.
Cooking at home
Anise vodka can be prepared at home. To do this, you need to purchase the necessary spices and aromatic herbs and insist them on alcohol.
For example, you can make an analogue of Greek ouzo vodka with your own hands. To prepare anise at home, we need 1 liter of vodka, 2 liters of water, 100 g of anise, 20 g of star anise, 2 clove buds and 5 g of cardamom. Vodka is poured into a glass jar, anise, cloves, star anise, cardamom are added in the indicated quantities. Put vodka to infuse for two weeks in a dark place. After that, the tincture is filtered, diluted with water and poured into a distillation cube. The spices are placed in a steamer. After distillation, anise vodka is kept for another 2-3 days, after which it can be consumed.
Anise vodka can also be made from orange peel and anise. To prepare it, you will need 1 liter of vodka, 40 g of anise, 2 g of dill, ginger, lemon and orange peel. To begin with, the crust is rubbed on a grater, then spices and salt are added to it, everything is poured with vodka. The drink is infused for 3 weeks, filtered. After that, vodka is left for another 5-7 days. The finished drink is consumed on its own or as part of cocktails.
The benefits of anise vodka and treatment
The benefits of the drink were known to the ancient Egyptians as early as 1500 BC.
Anise helps with dysentery, bowel problems, digestive disorders. It is also an excellent disinfectant. For medicinal purposes, take 1 tbsp. l. tincture every day before meals.
The tincture is effective with painful menstruation, it is taken in 1 tsp. 3 times a day.
Also 1-2 tbsp. l. anise tincture can be added to tea with milk, lactating women to enhance lactation.
Harm of anise vodka and contraindications
A drink can harm the body with individual intolerance, as well as excessive consumption. It is not recommended to use anise vodka for pregnant and lactating women, children.
It is contraindicated to drink anise vodka for people with increased excitability.
Oh, good anise!
Did the housekeeper make vodka?
from the movie " Ivan Vasilievich changes profession«
An aperitif is an alcoholic drink that is served to guests immediately, on the doorstep, so to speak. The meaning of an aperitif is to drown out the feeling of hunger, cheer up, prepare the stomach to receive a large amount of food and alcohol.
Not all alcoholic drinks are suitable for “warm-up” as an aperitif, because they are drunk on an empty stomach and without a snack.
Anise tincture is one of the most famous aperitifs. It is most appropriate in the cold season, especially if it is damp outside, as a remedy for colds and the ability to quickly warm up. In Russian culture, aniseed vodka is drunk undiluted. Currently, we do not know the producers of Russian anise vodka or tincture (we will be grateful for the hint).
Ricard (Ricard)
One of the first anise tinctures, invented after the ban on absinthe in order to create its analogue.
This drink was invented by a Frenchman named Paul Ricard in the 30s of our century. Now it is impossible to imagine the south of France, Marseille, without this drink, which has become a symbol of the "art of living in French." It is the first alcoholic drink consumed in France and the fourth in the world. Strongly flavored with licorice. It is diluted with water before use (one part Ricard and five parts water), then ice is added. France, fortress - 45%.
COCKTAIL "ARIADNA"
Ingredients
For 1 person: 30 g Ricard French aperitif, 100 g Curacao sweet orange liqueur, 20 g Marasquino cherry liqueur, chocolate powder.
Cooking
Put ice in a shaker, add French aperitif, orange liqueur, cherry liqueur, shake, pour into a glass, the edge of which is covered with chocolate powder. French drinks on the Russian national culinary resource SuperCook.ru
Anise tinctures (alcohol-based aperitifs)
Alcoholic drinks with anise have been used for a very long time, since this plant has found strong medicinal properties.
In the Mediterranean countries, these drinks are used as an aperitif. In Russia, such tinctures are quite rare. Anise tinctures have many names: in Turkey - crayfish, in Greece - RCD, in Iraq and in Lebanon - Arak, in France - Pastis, in Italy - Sambucca, in Spain - Anisette. Anise tincture is the closest but harmless relative of absinthe, an intoxicating drink now banned in most countries.
In the production of alcoholic beverages, two types of anise are used: green anise
native to the Mediterranean, and star anise
, or star anise, imported from Vietnam or China. Plants are soaked in alcohol, and then the infusion is distilled. Sugar and caramel are added to the resulting drink.
The white color of anise drinks, which appears from interaction with water and under the influence of cold, is the result of the action of anethole. It is an anise essence solid that crystallizes into shiny particles.
The strength of anise tinctures ranges from 25 to 51%. In order to appreciate all the flavors of the anise drink, pour 2.5 - 3 centiliters into a glass and dilute it with five times the amount of chilled water. In hot weather, you can also add a piece of ice to this mixture, but this should be done only after the process of mixing the anise tincture with water is completely finished (so that the anethole does not crystallize).
Main brands
Anisette Marie Brizard (Aniset Marie Brizard)
For the manufacture of this drink, which was launched back in 1755, green anise seeds from the high plains of Andalusia (Spain) and 12 different aromatic plants are used.
Production is carried out by sequential distillation of alcohol and plants. France, fortress - 25%.
Ouzo(Ouzo)
Strong liquor flavored with anise. Greece, fortress - from 40 to 50%.
Pastis 51 (Pastis 51)
Anise tincture flavored with licorice and caramel. Its name is associated with 1951, when a few years after the war in France, the production of alcohol with anise was again allowed. And the firm "Perno" launched its pastis on the market under this new name. France, fortress - 45%.
Pernod (perno)
This anise tincture is the heiress of the famous absinthe, flavored with various plants. It is drunk with the addition of water (in proportion - one to five), in cocktails or with syrups. France, fortress - 40%.
Raki (crayfish)
A strong liquor made by distilling roses and figs, flavored with anise. Turkey, fortress - from 40 to 50%. Turkey's main alcoholic drink. The popular name is lion's milk.
Sambucca (Sambucca)
This anise tincture, with a strong aroma, is drunk neat, on ice or with coffee beans. In Rome, sambucca is drunk “with a fly” (con la mosca): two coffee beans are placed in a small glass, aniseed is poured, set on fire, they are waited for the drink to cool, and they drink. Italy, fortress - 38%.
Absinthe
The most famous, sung by many artists and writers, and perhaps the most unknown to the whole world, an anise-based alcoholic drink is absinthe, nicknamed La Fee Verte in Paris - the “green fairy”.
Anise ordinary, or Anise thigh (lat. Pimpinella anísum) - an annual herbaceous plant, spice; species of the genus Thighweed of the Umbelliferae family.
An annual plant up to 30-50 cm high with a thin tap root. The stem is erect, round, furrowed, branched in the upper part.
The upper leaves are sessile, vaginal. Lower stem and basal - long-leaved. The blade of the lower leaves is rounded, entire and deeply incised; medium - three times dissected into wedge-shaped segments; upper - twice, thrice dissected into linear-lanceolate lobes.
The flowers are small, white, inconspicuous, collected at the ends of the branches in complex umbrellas with 6-15 rays. Blooms in July.
The fruits are broadly ovoid, slightly compressed laterally, grayish-green in color, about 2 mm long, with slightly protruding filiform ribs and 2-3 passages in each hollow. Fruiting at the end of August.
It has an aromatic-sweet taste and a strongly spicy smell.
Homeland - Mediterranean countries.
Bred for seed throughout southern Europe and Egypt. In Russia, common anise grows as a cultivated plant over large areas, mainly in the Voronezh, Belgorod, Kursk regions, and on a smaller scale in the Krasnodar Territory.
The chemical composition of plant materials
Dry fruits contain 1.5-3.5% (sometimes 6%) essential oil with a specific odor, and 16-28% fatty oil, up to 19% proteins, as well as sugars and organic acids. The main components of the essential oil are anethole (80-90%) and methylchavicol (10%), in addition, the oil contains anisaldehyde, anisic acid, α-phellandrene, α-pinene, dipentene, camphene, acetaldehyde, anisketone.
Significance and application
medical application
Fruits are used as medicinal raw materials; they are harvested during the browning of 60-80% of umbrellas. Mowed by machines, dried in rolls, then threshed and cleaned of impurities.
Medicines: essential oil, anise fruits, fees (tea), fatty oil, breast elixir, ammonia-anise drops.
Anise fruits and its preparations enhance the function of the glandular apparatus of the bronchi and intestines, reduce spasms of the smooth muscles of the intestine, and have low toxicity. They act as a laxative. They help with inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, remove sand from the urinary tract. It is used for bloating, to stimulate the secretory function of the liver and pancreas. Washing the eyes with anise improves vision. Relieves inflammation of the eyes and tincture of anise with saffron on wine. Anise oil and fruits are used for catarrh of the respiratory tract, tracheitis, laryngitis and other respiratory diseases. Anise oil is often combined with other essential oils, antibiotics; they are part of various expectorant mixtures. Anise preparations, including in medicinal preparations, are also recommended for anacid gastritis, flatulence and other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. It is useful for nursing mothers to increase the amount of milk, to separate sputum when coughing, as well as for colic, to use anise tea.
Insects die from the smell of anise: lice, bugs, moths, cockroaches, arthropod mites, bumblebees.
Eating
The fruits and the anise oil obtained from them are widely used in bread baking, in the fish and meat industry, in the confectionery industry and in the beverage industry. As a spice, mainly fruits are used, which have an intense light refreshing aroma. Most often, anise is added to various pies, cookies, gingerbread, pancakes, muffins, milk and fruit soups, to spinach instead of nutmeg and other dishes.
Russian anise vodka
In the XVI-XVII centuries there was a trade route from China through Mongolia to Moscow. Spices from Southeast Asia were transported along it not only to Russia, but also to other European countries. One of the main spices was star anise. It is the fruit of a tree of the Magnolia family, which grows in Southeast China. Caravans with spices went through Siberia, so in Western Europe the star anise was called the Siberian anise. We called it star or Chinese anise. In Russia, which lies halfway between Asia and Europe, prices for spices, compared with Western Europe, were low. This was the basis for the widespread use of Chinese anise in everyday life. It becomes an indispensable component of Russian pastries: pretzels, gingerbread, gingerbread. The soft drink sbiten, popular in those days, was prepared with the obligatory participation of Chinese anise. But first of all, it was used as an aromatic and flavor component of Russian vodkas.
Vodka in those days was called only those strong alcoholic drinks that had an additional taste, aroma or color. (In our time, vodkas are called drinks with a "characteristic vodka taste and aroma"). Simple grain alcohol was infused along with herbs, berries, spices and other aromatic and flavoring components. After that, the infusion was distilled - it was moved. A fairly strong drink was obtained at a level of 37 ° - 45 °. It was diluted with spring water or consumed in its pure form. Vodka was called by the name of the main flavoring: aniseed, cumin ... Now real Russian vodkas are not made, while bitter tinctures, which are closest to them, significantly lose to them in quality.
In the list of drinks at the feast tables of the 16th-17th centuries, the Moscow feudal nobility always mentions aniseed vodka. Anisova was loved by Peter I, as he himself spoke about this more than once. Literary heroes of A.S. Pushkin, A.N. Ostrovsky, A.P. Chekhov drink it. The popularity of vodka flavored with Chinese anise in the 16th and 19th centuries gave rise to another very similar method of flavoring - based on common anise seeds. The latter, I must say, has long been used in Russia. This anise tastes and smells like Chinese anise. These are the seeds of an annual herbaceous plant of the umbrella family. In Russia, it has been cultivated everywhere for a long time. In Russian, this word (anis - onis) became familiar already in the second half of the 16th century. The taste of anise is much simpler than that of Chinese. The latter is more aromatic, thinner and more complex in taste.
At first, anise was used to imitate Chinese anise vodkas, later it was used together with cumin and zest to make an independent drink. They also called it aniseed vodka. Thus, since the 16th century in Russia there have been two types of anise vodka, somewhat similar to each other, but based on different aromatic additives. They used anise vodka as an aperitif, before meals and with cold appetizers. This use is due to the components of these spices, which cause an increase in the secretory function of the digestive glands. The essential oil from anise fruits, which remains in vodka after it doubles, contains anethole. Therefore, if you pour cold water into anise or cool it down, it will turn white - the result of exposure to anethole. The same will happen with anise based star anise, only it does not contain anethole, but an essential oil similar in properties - safflower.
In "stagnant" times in Russia, two types of aniseed alcoholic beverages were produced. Bitter tincture "Anisovka", where, along with the fruits of common anise, coriander, dill and lemon peel were used. "Anise liquor" was prepared on aromatic spirits of anise ordinary and Chinese. The liquor was colorless and had a sweet, pleasant taste and a thick aniseed aroma.
Currently, alcoholic beverages with these flavors are produced in many countries, but not in Russia. They are called differently everywhere, although the word anise is almost international. In French and German "anis", in English "anise", in Latin "anisum". Nevertheless, in Turkey it is raki, in Greece it is ouzo, in Iraq and Lebanon it is arak, in France it is pastis, in Italy it is sambuca, in Spain it is anisette.
The country that currently produces the largest range of anises is France. The popularity of anise in this country is due to absinthe, a bitter greenish tincture based on wormwood. Absinthe was invented at the end of the 18th century by Madame Enrio, who lived in Switzerland near the French border. After her death, the recipe was bought by Pernod-Ricard, and by the end of the 19th century, absinthe gained wide popularity, becoming an obligatory attribute of the bohemian "parties" in Paris. After some time, doctors found that wormwood oil contained in absinthe strongly destroys the human body. At the very beginning of our century, absinthe was banned in Belgium and Italy, but the consumption of this drink in France remained huge. And only in 1915 it was banned in France. All lovers and lovers of absinthe switch to anise, a bit reminiscent of their favorite drink.
… All this anise variety, born in Russia in the 16th century, exists in different countries due to the unique aperitif features of this drink. They say that after a glass of anise, you can eat a whole calf. In addition, it has a very beneficial effect on digestion and the state of the body as a whole.
Why anisovka, one of the most classic Russian vodkas, is now practically not produced in Russia is a completely inexplicable fact. But it's easy to do it yourself.
Source: excellent Site about alcohol NALIVAY.ru
One of the old recipes for Russian anisette vodka:
100 g of anise are washed into a fine powder and infused for a month in 5-6 liters of alcohol diluted to 25-30%. The mixture is then distilled, brought to a strength of 45% and bottled.
How to make anise at home
If you have a source of good alcohol (medical, double rectified, 96 degrees), then you don't have to run around and buy any "nasty things" in the store.
Although I'm not a housekeeper, I make anise much cooler.
So, we take a liter of alcohol, buy dried star anise fruits (such a spice, in the form of dark brown stars with a seed in the rays), gram 20. We clean the star anise from dust, break the stars into rays, throw them into a bottle of alcohol, pour 2 tablespoons of sugar and shake it until dissolved. And leave for a week. We take clean drinking water (how much? Have you forgotten the chemistry yet? Do you know how to calculate the concentration of an alcohol solution?), throw washed silver into it (spoons, forks, rings, coasters, dishes, ingots) and leave it for a week too. Having endured until the end of the week and not choking on saliva, we dilute the water with alcohol to the anise strength we need (40, 45, 50, 60, 68, 70 degrees). We drip 5 drops of food glycerin into the finished anise (per liter of a 40-degree drink). Ready! Drink to your health.
Source http://www.wapbbs.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=83307 — say hello to the author from our project!
