Vodka, the popular, crystal-clear liquor is immensely popular in our country. We create the most delicious cocktails with it and you can also cook with it!
Our small history lesson lead us to believe that vodka has originated in Poland, although the Russians and Finns claim otherwise. We can say with certainty that we owe the name “vodka” to the Russians. In Russian this means “water”, which is not surprising considering many Eastern European countries drink vodka like water. Every opportunity is seized to be able to toast, repeatedly. In Russia and Poland, vodka is most commonly enjoyed with a meal. After a cheerful toast, a glass of vodka is drunk in one go, something we call ad fundum. We are familiar with this phrase as taking a shot. After the shot, dinner will be eaten and, to no one’s surprise, the celebratory tradition will be repeated several times during the same meal.
Vodka is more popular than beer in Russian and Polish student community, especially when missed with apple juice (called szarlotka, literal meaning: apple pie). The drink is cheaper than beer and less drinks need to be consumed to get tipsy. Vodka is mostly used to “drink in” before going out to a club. You are really only called a drunk in these countries when you drink vodka without something to eat.
Of course we believe that you can drink vodka without something to eat, when done in moderation of course. Our Eastern European friends may not agree with us on that last part.