If you're looking for a cheap drink in Bodrum, all you need is a time machine. Whizz back to the 1980s and have yourself a ball. There wasn't a lot of choice: two types of beer, (Efes and Tuborg), rakı, votka, gin, brandy and garish fruit liqueurs but there was lots of it and it was amazingly cheap. Foreign spirits were only available in the duty-free shops and the Turkish gin and brandy more akin to paint stripper so we made the most of Turkish vodka. It was great injected into fruit and made getting your five a day much more entertaining, not that we knew we were meant to have five a day then. We also kept bottles of lemon and strawberry vodka in the freezer. One third juice, one half vodka, topped up with sugar and left to mature for a week or two. It's surprising those of us who lived here then have any livers or brain cells left. I've been tidying up my store-room and came across a set of beautiful crystal cocktail glasses and a shaker. I think my husband bought the glasses in Portobello market over 30 years ago. As I washed them I realised that we probably won't ever use them for their proper purpose again, spirits are just too expensive here now. I also found some shot glasses. Luckily they are the right size for tea light candles so at least they will be useful. My drinking days may be over, but my daughter's generation have their own drinking recipes. I'm told that their version of my fruit vodka is to put a Mars Bar into a bottle of vodka and put it in the dishwasher on full cycle, to make an alcoholic chocolate drink. Says it all really, doesn't it.
I haven't mentioned wine. That deserves a post of its own.
J used to make the most fantastic Elderflower Champagne back in the UK - It used to get extra fizzy every Springtime. I look at the elderflowers flourishing around my home and I dream of elderflower wine/champagne. Wonder if bread yeast will do the job.
ReplyDeleteAlan, I'm interested that you have elderflowers, we don't have any. I am keen to make dandelion beer and on a trip back to UK next week I'm going to try and pick up some wine/champagne yeast. Would you like me to get you some too?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it make a hotto-choco-vodka? Anyone who was anyone had a cocktail shaker in the 80s. It was so cool. We displayed ours on the sideboard for guests to admire. We never made any cocktails, mind you.
ReplyDeleteThey chill it after the dishwasher has made it amalgamate. She also tells me that you can do the same with packets of sweets.
DeleteHello, you gave me an education today. I've seldom done any drinking as my father had a drinking problem that affected our whole family and so I chose not to drink. And when I did have a little wine I discovered that I was allergic to alcohol! I think Dad must have been also. So your mixtures sound interesting to me! But not inviting. Peace.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you've missed much, except a lot of headaches.
DeleteJolee and I have to admit that our cocktail shaker is still in service. Yes, the gin is pricey here so friends who visit from the U.S. must come bearing gifts. From the end of September until the beginning of April the nar vodka cocktail ("nargarita") is the drink of choice, with the pomegranate juice freshly squeezed, of course. And speaking of vodka, and Turkish vodka specifically, what ever happened to that Lokka brand of Turkish vodka, made from grapes I believe, that was available until a couple of years ago?
ReplyDeleteMark
Not to be ageist, but the only thing I can say about the chocolate-dishwasher vodka recipe is Yuk! That's not to say I wouldn't drink it in a pinch, of course.
Jolee
Tell me you are kidding about the dishwasher!
ReplyDelete