It's 9 am in Moscow and we enter
the Izmailovo market. Ushanka dolls stare cherub like from shelves, Matryoshka
hats adorn the walls and sit smugly upon the heads of wide eyed tourists and Valenki boots warm the chilblains; however, it is the vodka that
calls to us. Complimentary! The water of life beckons and we give thanks
to the monk Isidore the inventor of this brew; as we toast our health Будем здоровы! and slam down our
early morning wake up call. Vodka is ritualised in Russia; some may say
it is a religious entity that begins and starts the day. One must
remember that Vodka must be consumed straight; no dilution can occur and the
greatest insult one can give is to sip the vodka. Vodka is designed as a
shot! Clink the glass, offer a toast: “Mezhdu pervoy i vtoroy pereryvchik ne bolshoy!", meaning
something like "No long breaks allowed between the first and the second
rounds! and scull.
To get the full impact of the Vodka sliding down one's throat and burning the back of your retinas, the humble gherkin becomes your saviour. The process is simple, down the Vodka and eat the gherkin and enjoy the kaleidoscope of flavours that erupt across your taste buds as you watch the lights strobe across the Moscow landscape.
It's not just Vodka that is ravished and devoured but the humble пива, (beer) that is celebrated in all regions. It is interesting to note that before 2011, there was no regulations regarding beer and in fact anything with an alcohol content less than 10% was seen as foodstuff. Got to love those Russians! There is nothing better than having a beer in a local, sharing stories with Muscovites and truly immersing oneself into their culture.
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