Croatia"It's a stomach opener," my Croatian friend said as a means of encouragement when an old man at a hiker's lodge offered me my first shot of rakia."Do I want my stomach opened?" I wondered. After a few months in the Balkans I can safely say yes. Rakia is a regional specialty, an often homemade fruit brandy served before meals. Though it comes in a shot glass, drinking rakia like a local means sipping at the strong liquor and keeping your face from contorting at the taste. Don't forget to toast--Zivjeli!--to life. [ A WORD of WARNING: Should you find yourself drinking rakia on a mountaintop and needing to continue your hike, consider the fact that after a few rounds "the stomach opener" becomes a "depth perception destroyer." ]
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Posted on 11/18/2009 by
Brian Stevenson
I was able to bring back a bottle of rakia that my landlady had made for me when I stayed in Dubrovnik. She left some grapes in the bottle and now they've soaked up all the good stuff, so if ever I want some fruit and a shot at the same time, I just munch on one of those. Truly powerful stuff!
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