Ouzo and Frappé
2011-01-07
Ouzo
Ouzo drinking is an art. Or maybe it's a way of life. Whatever it is, the island of Lesvos is known for it's ouzo. Most cafe owners in Greece will admit that the best ouzo comes from Lesvos, also known as Mytilini, and they probably carry one of the more popular commercial brands like Mini or Plomari. But it's not the ouzo, it's who you drink it with that really makes the experience.
The key to drinking ouzo is to eat snacks known as mezedes. These keep the effects of the alcohol from overwhelming you and enable you to sit and drink slowly for hours in a profoundly calm state of mind where all is beautiful and life is fine. In the villages where life is slow ouzo is partaken day or night. On Sundays after church the cafeneons are full of lively voices and singing, including sometimes the village priest. In many cafeneons the cooking is done by men, but in some it is a woman who does the cooking and serving and acts as den mother to the old men who come around each day. She knows their likes and dislikes, favorite seats and personal history.
Ouzo Giannatsi from Plomari: Distilled in an old-fashioned wood burning kasani (still). Two varieties, one of 42% and the other 45% alcohol. Hard to find outside of Plomari.
Dimino comes in funny shaped bottles but is distilled and pure.
Ouzo Mini: Mild and smooth with an alcohol content of 40%.
Ouzo Veto: 42%. Stronger. Andrea likes this kind.
------the above was ZT from the internet------
The funny thing was, my greek friend brought some ouzo to me, I tasted, but I couldn't drink it, too strong. So, I used it in cooking. Haha, fantastic! Nowadays, it becomes my secret seasoning. Anyway, one day, I will go to Lesvos, but before I go, I may need to learn speaking some Greek. Oh, I know this one :' Malakiya, Malaka;-) hahaha...)
Frappé
Before I came to the UK, I only know a little about of coffee:black coffee and white coffee and that is all about of instant coffee add milk or without milk.
After lived in the UK for a while, my friend and I tried to enjoy a cup of nice coffee in the cafe. But when we read the menu, very confused, didn’t know what's the difference with the different name of the coffees.
Like every student, I had a part-time job as a waitress in a hotel restaurant, I started to learn how to make a cup of coffee. The most success was learning how to make a three layers latte.
After moved to London, I often visit cafe or coffee shops. Not only buy a cup of coffee in a Chain-cafe shop, sometimes I buy my coffee beans. Because the advantage is that there are many shops in Soho and Covern Garden which sells roasted coffee beans or original coffee beans . From the colour-cinnamon, brown, light French or dack French to the flavor-bitter, sweet, cream, smooth, chocolate and corn, etc.
Gradually, more and more coffee makers were taken back into the house. Cafetiere, Espresso alemic, milk shaker ...
I have to mention is the Frappé--a cool refresher on a hot day for coffee lovers. Of course the Frappé come from Greece, and I learned from my greek friend. (by the way, the first cafe opened in London in St. Michael’s Alley located in Cornhill were by Mr Pasqus Rosee and Mr. Bowan in 1652, and the people said that Mr Rosee who come from Greece as well.)
It is very easy to make a Frappé:
A water of glass, add one teaspoon of instant coffee, and sugar to taste, then add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water and milk to taste. Then use a shalker stir them together, the better is to create a large amount of thick foam. Ok, add more cold water and 3-4 ice cubes, that is.
......
In the sunny summer weekend, every time when I was drinking my cold Frappé I was missing my greek friend.
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