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RUSSIA
V
odka is a spirit distilled from
just about anything, including
grain, potatoes, fruit, even sugar
(in Europe, however, only potatoes or
grains are allowed). It’s usually distilled
multiple times to strip away chemicals.
Each round of distillation strips away
chemicals according to their boiling points.
Distillation also strips away flavor, which
contributes to vodka’s colorless and nearly
flavorless presentation. The chemicals that
strip away in the beginning are called heads.
The ones at the end are called tails. Tails
are the heavier alcohols, and they add what
flavor you do taste.
We aren’t exactly sure where or when vodka
first appeared, though we think it originated
in Eastern Europe as early as the late 8
th
or
early 9
th
century. Russia and Poland were
among the first countries to distill the
stuff and are still the kings of vodka with
best-selling brands like Smirnoff (Russian,
though now owned by a British company)
and Belvedere (Polish). Smirnoff No. 21 is
the best selling vodka in the world.
Vodka, as I mentioned, can be produced
anywhere in the world. Stolichnaya is made
in Latvia, Absolut in Sweden. Russian
vodka isn’t necessarily better; it’s just more
traditional. It’s sort of like bourbon. While
bourbon can be produced anywhere in
America, the stuff coming out of Kentucky
is more traditional. Several distilleries
right here on the Gulf Coast are making
vodka. The Donner-Peltier distillery in
Rouses hometown of Thibodaux, Louisiana,
distill Oryza with Louisiana rice. The folks
at Atelier Vie distillery in New Orleans
make Buck 25 using sugar cane.
Vodka is traditionally served neat along the
Vodka Belt: Russia, Belarus, the Ukraine,
Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and
the Baltic states — Latvia, Estonia and
Lithuania. But in the United States, we’re
all about the cocktail (the Moscow Mule
was invented in Los Angeles). Because
vodka has very little flavor, cocktails derived
Moscow Mule
Also called a Vodka Buck, this vodka-and-
ginger cocktail was invented late 1939-early
1940. It was originally served in copper
mugs, but you can use a glass.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
4 ounces Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer
2 ounces Russian vodka
½ ounce fresh lime juice
Slice of lime, for garnish
Ice
HOW TO PREP
Fill a Collins glass (a tall narrow glass) with
ice. Pour the ginger ale over ice, add the
vodka and lime juice, and stir. Garnish with a
slice of lime.
Black Russian
Invented in 1949 by a bartender in Brussels,
the name is anod toRussia’s vodka tradition,
and an earlier cocktail, the Russian, made
with vodka, gin and crème de cacao.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1 ounce Kahlúa
2 ounces vodka
Ice
HOW TO PREP
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add the Kahlúa and
vodka. Mix and serve.
White Russian
A creamier version of the Black Russian.
Fans of The Big Lebowski will recognize it as
the preferred drink of Jeff Bridge’s character,
The Dude.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1 ounce Kahlúa
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce heavy cream
Ice
HOW TO PREP
Combine Kahlúa and vodka in a dry shaker.
Pour into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes.
Add a top layer of cream (bartender’s trick:
pour the cream over the back of a spoon to
keep it from mixing with the alcohol).
The Vodka Belt
by
Bobby Childs
from it really let the other ingredients shine
over the spirit.
While we’re on the subject of vodka, I
should mention gin. Think of gin as vodka’s
cousin. Gin sort of starts out as vodka. It
is usually distilled from a grain mash. The
botanicals are then added, and it is distilled
again. These botanicals, the most prominent
of which is juniper berry, add the flavors and
aromas we associate with gin.
Gin is most associated with Great Britain,
with heritage brands like Gordon’s, a
London dry gin, and Bombay Sapphire
dominating the market. (Scottish up-and-
comer Hendrick’s was introduced in 1988.)
There’s also great gin being produced here
locally. Check out Donner-Peltier’s Oryza
Gin. It starts out as the same spirit as
their vodka, but 11 different botanicals are
added. Atelier Vie produces a traditional
gin, called Euphrosine #9, and a whiskey
barrel-finished reserve with very light
whiskey notes.
The world’s best selling vodka brand is
Smirnoff, followed by Absolut.