Vodka- The Versatile Spirit

Vodka- The Versatile Spirit

Vodka is an artist who never steals the limelight but always makes other performers shine. Colorless and odorless as water, it has little characteristic flavor of its own. But when mixed into cocktails, it works magic, enriching the flavors of other ingredients. People always consider vodka to be one of their favorite beverages. It has been my favorite too since the very beginning of my career. Although people enjoy its pleasures often, they really never take the time to truly appreciate vodka’s flavor. They would put it on ice, or mix it with sodas and juices, and would rarely pay attention to its unique flavor qualities. But I’ve always been thinking about the versatility of this colorless liquid earlier known as water of life. The more I got into it, the more I began to develop a deeper appreciation of vodka.

What is vodka? Well, it's the alcoholic drink of the past, the present and the future. Many people drink vodka. Have you ever wondered why? One major reason is the commonly held belief that, of all alcoholic drinks, Vodka is far less likely to give you a hangover. It is that one drink on which most of the cocktails are based. Vodka's neutral flavor makes it ideal for mixed drinks: it is the most popular and most often used spirit! Vodka mixes very well with juices, among others.

Golden History

Vodka originated in Poland and Russia, though precisely where, when and how remains uncertain. The knowledge of distilling spirits spread from France and Northern Italy across Europe around the 12th or 13th century, and is likely to have reached Poland first, before proceeding to Russia via Lithuania and the Ukraine. The earliest recorded use of the word ‘vodka’ in Eastern Europe appears on a Polish document, dated 1405.

Meanwhile, the Russian counter-claim is that a special delegation from Genoa (a centre of distillation) visited a duke in Moscow during the late 14th century. After explaining the finer points of distillation, the first vodka was subsequently distilled in a monastery in Moscow basically for the medication purpose.

Scandinavian mercenaries fighting in European wars took the knowledge of distillation with them when they returned home, and vodkas were produced in Scandinavia from around the 15th century.

At least the Poles and Russians agreed on the name for this spirit, vodka being the diminutive form of ‘woda’, which means water, so vodka literally means ‘little water.’ When this term was coined, in the Middle Ages, using the diminutive form meant it was a more refined version of the original (as drinking water frequently carried various diseases, ‘little water’ definitely was more refined). May be due to the same reason, it was also known as ‘Aqua Vitae’, which means ‘Water of Life’. As the original distillation equipment was inevitably crude, distilling to a high enough strength to rectify (purify) the spirit wasn’t possible. The remaining impurities meant a harsh, hostile vodka, which could only be restrained by infusing various herbs and spices, while honey was used as a natural sweetener.

This earliest form of vodka was considered medicinal and dispensed like a prescription, in the belief that it would alleviate various ailments. Another belief was that vodka promoted longevity and youthfulness - so it seemed to offer the ultimate range of benefits. It wasn’t until the 16th century that vodka became established as a social drink, and the national spirit of Poland, Russia, Sweden and Finland.

Creating Vodka ‘Water of Life’

  The standard method of making vodka is by fermenting and distilling grain, although potatoes and beets are two popular alternatives. Vodka is a rectified spirit, meaning it is distilled at least three times, it is then filtered through charcoal. Vodka requires no aging and is ready to drink right away. Many vodkas are also infused with fruit or spice flavorings

 

Enjoy every Sip- Tasting Vodka

First, use your sight, pour a small measure into a glass, the vodka should have absolute clarity, if it's clouded it should be discarded. Swirling the vodka will reveal the 'beads', the tiny drops which collect around the side of the glass. The closer together they are, the higher the alcohol content.

Smell the vodka at a slight distance; any sulphurous smells suggest it's tainted, only possible with corked vodka bottles, but still unlikely. On the nose you're looking for vanilla, nuts or spices but they're often hard to pick out from smell alone.

It is now turn to taste the vodka, swirling it around your mouth. This first sip will will blow your palate apart because of the alcohol, but will make your palate ready for the next sip, which will tell you the actual taste. A quality vodka will be smooth and with no harshness in your throat. Look out for any sweetness, spices or bread-like notes. Consider the mouthfeel or 'weight' of the vodka in your mouth, and then its length, does the flavor linger at all? Good quality vodka should leave a film around your mouth and last.

 

In the same way that you wouldn't chill a decent red wine, good vodkas should be enjoyed at room temperature, rather than chilled. Warmth brings out the aromas and flavors, the cold simply constricts these. If you want to bring the alcohol level down, adding water is perfectly acceptable. Flavored vodkas can add an extra dimension to neat vodka.

 

Drinking Vodka

Vodka has been involved within almost every society for many years. The reason for this is because vodka can be made out of numerous substances, such as potatoes, sugar and grain. However, no matter how the vodka is made, drinking it is all the same. How can you drink vodka without the bad side effects? Drinking vodka can be an enjoyable experience when done right.

·   The process of drinking vodka can be as unique as you are. There are some who enjoy chugging the drink, but for most, mixing vodka is the preferred way. But firsts things first, always make sure that you have foods readily available that are high in carbs. Bread or pasta is a great dish to accompany a night of vodka drinking, as it will soak up some of the alcohol, keeping you from the dreaded "spins." Make sure you eat 30 minutes prior to drinking vodka, in any form.

·   If you're a partier, taking shots are a part of your Friday night life. Taking shots of vodka, however, aren't for the weak stomached. If you give in to peer pressure and start taking shots of vodka, make sure to always have a chaser. Soda, such as Coca-Cola, is a great chaser, and will help soothe the vodka down your throat.

·   If your friends insist on taking shots of vodka and you can't stand the taste, simply plug your nose. By not breathing through your nose until the alcohol has been completely drank, you will keep the unpleasant taste from overwhelming your taste buds.

·   Mixing vodka with a non-alcoholic beverage is a great way to cover the harsh burn of vodka. Taking Ocean Spray fruit cocktail and mixing a shot's worth of vodka within a standard 8-ounce cup is an enjoyable way of consuming this alcohol. The Ocean Spray actually hinders the burn of the vodka, allowing even the most picky drinkers to enjoy this wonderful drink. Make sure you keep track of how many Ocean Spray and Vodka drinks (also dubbed Church Wine) you have, it is easy to drink too many because of its pleasing taste.

·   Vodka is notorious for causing many people to call in sick for work because they have the "24-hour flu." However, do as the Russians and drink pickle juice while consuming this beverage. If you're at a bar, when you arrive home, take a shot or two of pickle juice. This will help eliminate your hangover so you can make it to work on time.

Versatility of Vodka and Vodka Infusion

Vodka is an incredibly versatile drink. You can drink it neat, as a pure and healthy spirit; drink it with mixers like tonic water or bitter lemon; enjoy it as part of an exotic cocktail, or sample some of the hundreds of flavored vodkas available.

The modern drinks industry uses vodka's "purity" as its indicator of quality. In essence this boils down to: the more times a batch of vodka is distilled, the more pure it becomes, leading to the three industry standards of: Standard, Premium and Deluxe vodka. In former soviet countries we also find types like Strong Vodka (stronger than 40% and up to as much as 55% alcohol per unit volume).

The first vodka to grace the tables of our ancestors was probably a "neutral", un-flavored vodka. Flavored vodka was a relatively late arrival. Its origins lie in medieval man's attempts to refine the savage taste of the pure spirit. This started first and most famously in Russia, where today you will find the widest variety of flavored vodkas in the world, including Lemon vodka and the classic Pertsovka Vodka (flavored with red hot chili peppers).

Not to be outdone by their northern neighbors, the Poles have their own very distinctly aromatic smooth tasting Zubrovka Vodka, flavored with grass trodden by local bison. You can also buy red vodka. The most popular brand is known as V Red Vodka. The "V" stands, not - as some people wrongly imagine - for "Very", but for Vampire.

Infused liquors are the new medium for creative expression in the realm of mixology, and vodka is the ideal spirit for experimentation, as a lot of ingredients easily infuse into this neutral-tasting liquor and shine through with clarity.

Beyond the basic citrus infusions, you can even take the concept to the next level of creativity by using, for example, a combination of tropical fruits, or adding fiery bite with hot peppers. Subtle herb infusions perfect for exotic vodka martinis are obtainable with just a sprig or two of rosemary or basil. Infusions are surprisingly easy to make, with an end result of wonderful depth of flavor. These are exceptional when served chilled and neat, and are handy for quick cocktails with nuance and complexity.

For Infusion

Use a clean, large (at least 1.5-liter) glass container with an airtight lid for your infusion.

Start with a 750-ml bottle of good-quality vodka, and use fresh spices, herbs, or ripe fruit; the average yield will be about 3 cups.

Save your original bottle; you will need it to strain the infused mixture into. 

Infusion times vary depending on the ingredient. Strong flavors like lemon take less time to steep (24 to 48 hours), while milder flavors such as raspberry or pineapple may take 1 to 2 weeks to fully infuse.
Some ingredients may break down as they stand, requiring the infusion to be strained through a wire-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth.

·Infusions are best stored in the refrigerator; chilling helps preserve the flavors longer than if kept at room temperature.

Some infusion tips:

Apple Cinnamon Vodka

6 large red apples
4 cinnamon sticks
750ml bottle of vodka of choice

Slice the apples and toss them into your infusion jar with the cinnamon sticks. Add the bottle of vodka, and let it infuse for a few days. This makes a great hot apple cider cocktail.

Cucumber Vodka

Cucumber martinis are in vogue with some people I know. They have a cool, clean flavor. This vodka infusion recipe is super easy. All you need is:

6 cucumbers
750ml bottle of vodka of choice

Cut you cucumbers into rounds, leaving the skin on. Insert them into your jar and add the vodka. Let it infuse for 4-5 days.

Pepper Vodka

6 peppers (you can use any chili)
750ml bottle of vodka of choice

The seed are what carry the most heat of a pepper, so let’s remove these. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Push the core of the pepper and the seeds out. Now just cut the peppers up, add to your jar with the bottle of vodka. Infuse for about 2 days.

Beside that also, you can create a lot more things with vodka. Personally, I love Vodka infused Watermelon (not Watermelon infused Vodka) and it is so easy to create. I just make a big hole in a whole watermelon and pour vodka into it, put in the refrigerator and finish up my chores. After an hour, I’m ready to enjoy the plate full of chilled vodka flavored watermelon chunks.

Cooking with Vodka

Ah, it’s a real joy to cook with vodka. Yes...vodka, it’s true. There’s no doubt that a lot of people would bathe in vodka if given an option. It is only a matter of time before we would discover all of the wonderful ways to have our vodka and eat it too.

When embarking upon a culinary adventure, vodka is a surprisingly versatile travel partner. It’s an excellent way to brine chicken or marinate a steak, lends character to homemade condiments, and blends beautifully with fruit and chocolate to create desserts that are seductive and sumptuous. It also adds a discernible degree or two of joy to every dish it makes an appearance in, because, after all - it is vodka.

In some recipes, vodka is used to achieve a chemical reaction in a dish. Vodka added to marinades, for example, can help break down tough fibers and tenderize meats. Vodka added to cheese and cream sauces lowers the boiling point to help prevent curdling. It is also very effectively used to deglaze pans during the cooking process in order to dissolve and impart alcohol-soluble flavor compounds to foods or sauces. And sometimes vodka may be added to provide a last minute burst of flavor, to complete the cooking process, or to enhance presentation – as in a flambé.

Healing with Vodka

Vodka became popular because of middle-age alchemists who were trying to find the “Philosophical stone”. They were carrying out a lot of experiments using minerals, chemical bonds and also they used raw produce. But then they recalled an ancient drink that was a true “holy drink”. This stuff could make you stronger, it could give you power to fight; it could make you feel happy when you are sad, and also it could make a party funnier. Finally the alchemists came to a conclusion that the magical medical power of Vodka was exactly what they needed, if it was used it properly, of course. And this “magical” drink was thus called “aqua vitae”, the “water of life”. 

·Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.

·Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziplock freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes.

·Fill a clean jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days.Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains.

·To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.

·To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.

·Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth. Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.

·Soothe a sore throat. Add a tablespoon of vodka to glass of warm water and gargle. The alcohol helps numb the sore throat.

·Apply Vodka compress to the boil with pus for a night. It will prevent from further forming of pus or at least will slow it down. If it does not help, you can apply another compress that has two layers. First you apply a napkin with the “Vishnyovskiy’s ointment” and then you put a napkin moistened with Vodka. 

·If you got erysipelatous inflammation and you are prohibited to use any ointments, you can use Vodka to moist the inflamed skin. It will localize the infection and will not let it go deeper under the skin. 

·When you get the “shooting” pains in your ears, you can stop the pain with help of Vodka. You should add some water to Vodka and drop several drops into your ear. 

·Vodka can also be used as an anti-fever medicine because of its property to evaporate very fast. To lower somebody’s temperature you should rub Vodka into his chest and back. Let him lie uncovered in order to let the alcohol evaporate. The temperature will lower after this treatment. 

·The same property of Vodka can help if you burned yourself. You should lubricate the burnt skin with Vodka at once. While evaporating it will cool the burnt skin and it will reduce the pain. Besides, you will not get any bubbles if you use Vodka in time.

·Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.

Household Uses of Vodka

Despite being a reward for health, vodka can gave you a magical hand of help in other household chores too.

·To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.

·For clean jewelry, soak the jewelry in vodka for five minutes, then rinse, and dry.

·For cleaning lipstick from clothing, rub the stain with vodka, then wash regularly.

·Rub the glue with a soft, clean cloth soaked with vodka to remove glue from anything. 

·Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.

·Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.

·Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.

·Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them.

·To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive.

·Vodka can make your regular shampoo more effective. Just add a shot of vodka to every bottle of shampoo and it will help prevent build-up and remove old residue from your hair. Your scalp will be extra clean too! 

·You can also make your own perfume with vodka. Just mix twenty to thirty drops of the essential oil of your choice into a bottle with an ounce of vodka. Let the mixture sit sealed for several weeks and your perfume is ready.

Vodka has become an essential element of contemporary lifestyle, and as the base for the largest choice of cocktails, it has become the most fashionable spirit. In addition to timeless classics like the Dry Martini and Bloody Mary, vodka has inspired contemporary icons such as the Cosmopolitan, and even an entire genre known as ‘fruit flavored martinis’. It’s an irresistible formula that’s become a ‘must have’ on the cocktail circuit.