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Historic (rec.food.historic) Discussing and discovering how food was made and prepared way back when--From ancient times down until (& possibly including or even going slightly beyond) the times when industrial revolution began to change our lives. |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 02:42:29 GMT, "Bryan J. Maloney"
> wrote: >Richard Wright > nattered on om: >. > >Interesting--but are there any non-grape brandies? Depends.... Some define the term solely in terms of the grape, while other are less strict. If you adhere to the latter view, then the answer is "yes"! Examples include Schwartzwalder Kirsch *Germany), the various palinkas of Hungary, andSlivovitz/Slivovica (Balkan states). All of these involve a fermented and distilled fruit mash. These are not the same as 1. flavored brandies (e.g. Blackberry Brandy) 2. flavored vodkas, such as cherry, apricot pit, and various berries, common throughout central Europe and the Balkans. These are made by marinating fruit in vodka. A- |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
In article >, arthur
alexander > wrote: > On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 02:42:29 GMT, "Bryan J. Maloney" > > wrote: > > >Richard Wright > nattered on > om: > >. > > > >Interesting--but are there any non-grape brandies? > > Depends.... > > Some define the term solely in terms of the grape, > while other are less strict. I'd agree with all you've said, but aren't you replying to a post that's nearly five years old? L |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Lazarus Cooke > writes:
>In article >, arthur >alexander > wrote: > >> On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 02:42:29 GMT, "Bryan J. Maloney" >> > wrote: >> >> >Richard Wright > nattered on >> om: >> >. >> > >> >Interesting--but are there any non-grape brandies? >> >> Depends.... >> >> Some define the term solely in terms of the grape, >> while other are less strict. > >I'd agree with all you've said, but aren't you replying to a post >that's nearly five years old? But it was aged in charred oak! Lee Rudolph |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:33:37 +0000, Lazarus Cooke
> wrote: >In article >, arthur >alexander > wrote: > >> On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 02:42:29 GMT, "Bryan J. Maloney" >> > wrote: >> >> >Richard Wright > nattered on >> om: >> >. >> > >I'd agree with all you've said, but aren't you replying to a post >that's nearly five years old? > Indeed, true, true! I had just resubscribed to r.f.h and downloaded all the headers, which automatically sort by date (I use Forte Agent). This post was near the top so I responded before I noticed the date.... OOPS! I concluded the NG was dead. Are you two the only survivors? Was it golbal warming? Did the WHO revoke the charter? Did r.f.h. run afoul of the trilateral commission? A- |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
"arthur alexander" > wrote
>>I'd agree with all you've said, but aren't you replying to a post >>that's nearly five years old? >> > Indeed, true, true! I had just resubscribed to r.f.h and downloaded > all the headers, which automatically sort by date (I use Forte > Agent). This post was near the top so I responded before I noticed The first thing I did when starting to use Agent was disabuse it of that habit. > the date.... OOPS! I concluded the NG was dead. Are you two the > only survivors? Was it golbal warming? Did the WHO revoke the > charter? Did r.f.h. run afoul of the trilateral commission? Black Helicopters. This NG goes through fits and starts and stops. -- Bob http://www.kanyak.com |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Some of us have become lurkers... absorbing the good, and ranting (off
in the wings) about the bad. While I *could* have responded to several subjects, I would have been making it up as I went along -- which didn't seem to be in the spirit (at least the original spirit) of the group. Gary On Feb 16, 12:23 pm, arthur alexander > wrote: > On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:33:37 +0000, Lazarus Cooke Are you two the > only survivors? Was it golbal warming? Did the WHO revoke the > charter? Did r.f.h. run afoul of the trilateral commission? |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Opinicus wrote:
> "arthur alexander" > wrote > >>> I'd agree with all you've said, but aren't you replying to a post >>> that's nearly five years old? >>> >> Indeed, true, true! I had just resubscribed to r.f.h and downloaded >> all the headers, which automatically sort by date (I use Forte >> Agent). This post was near the top so I responded before I noticed > > The first thing I did when starting to use Agent was disabuse it of that > habit. > >> the date.... OOPS! I concluded the NG was dead. Are you two the >> only survivors? Was it golbal warming? Did the WHO revoke the >> charter? Did r.f.h. run afoul of the trilateral commission? > > Black Helicopters. > > This NG goes through fits and starts and stops. > That is true. But it is an interesting post with some interesting responses. Is peach brandy made from a fermented fruit mash or is it a flavored brandy? Cookie |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
TMOliver wrote:
> "Cookie Cutter" > wrote in message > . .. > >> That is true. But it is an interesting post with some interesting >> responses. Is peach brandy made from a fermented fruit mash or is it a >> flavored brandy? >> > "Store bought" peach brandy is a distillate, hopefully from grapes, but in > many cases doubtfully, flavored after distillation with the occasional > peach, peach extracts and in some cases artificial flavoring agents. > > Slivovic' by whatever spelling was in the past made from distilling plum > mash. > > Some of the better grappas in Italy were made with the leftovers from > pressings for white wine, skins, pulp, twigs, leaves, the occasional bunion, > and a fungal toenail or two lost in the stomping. > > Yuk! |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
As the OP, let me say (4.5 years later) that I never did get an answer
to my original question. Is the Serbian/Croatian drink 'Travarica' within the range of variation of other European drinks called 'Absinthe'? Nice to see some of the old lurkers are still around! On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:36:12 -0600, arthur alexander > wrote: >On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 02:42:29 GMT, "Bryan J. Maloney" > wrote: > >>Richard Wright > nattered on >>thusnews:nufimvsn7po8f5al64k4np5i5dtqn7vguf@4ax. com: >>. >> >>Interesting--but are there any non-grape brandies? > >Depends.... > >Some define the term solely in terms of the grape, >while other are less strict. If you adhere to the >latter view, then the answer is "yes"! Examples >include Schwartzwalder Kirsch *Germany), the >various palinkas of Hungary, andSlivovitz/Slivovica > (Balkan states). All of these involve a fermented >and distilled fruit mash. These are not the same as > >1. flavored brandies (e.g. Blackberry Brandy) >2. flavored vodkas, such as cherry, apricot pit, >and various berries, common throughout >central Europe and the Balkans. These are >made by marinating fruit in vodka. > >A- |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Richard Wright a écrit :
> As the OP, let me say (4.5 years later) that I never did get an answer > to my original question. Is the Serbian/Croatian drink 'Travarica' > within the range of variation of other European drinks called > 'Absinthe'? > Looks like some Travarica could resemble in some ways Absinthe, but AFAIK Travarica are a whole range of brandies infused with herbs. From http://www.johnjgoddard.com/2008/01/13/travarica/ : In Dalmatia, the king of all rakijas is travarica (TRA-va-ree-tsa), a sophisticated spirit acclaimed as a superb digestive aid and tonic. It is quite simply an infusion of grape brandy and a variety of herbs, and there are as many recipes for travarica as there are people producing it. Some contain as few as 10 herbs, while others can contain 20 or more. Travarica often contains rosemary, chamomile, lavender, rose hips, matgrass, juniper, thyme, currants, mint or sage, but the list of possible additions is practically endless. No special mention of wormwood, the essential ingredient of absinthe, and that seems corroborated from other sources all around the web. HTH -- Greetings, Salutations, Guiraud Belissen, Chteau du Ciel, Drachenwald, Chris CII, Rennes, France |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Hey folks,
Just noticed that my blog entry was linked here and came to join the 4.5 year-old fun. I returned to the US from Croatia back in mid-September. I lived and worked as a chef through the summer of 2007 in a small fishing village called Marina on the Dalmatian coast. I also spent 5 months in Croatia in 2006, living primarily in Zagreb, but also travelling throughout the country and working briefly as a chef on the Peljesac peninsula, across from the isle of Korcula, not far from Dubrovnik. I have drunk(!) travarica and many other Balkan spirits/fruit brandies in many forms. I suppose those are my qualifications for giving an authoritative answer on the subject... Travarica does exist in many forms. Essentially, the word is a diminutive form of 'trava' which technically means 'grass', but can mean something like 'herb'. In the strictest sense of the literary dialect of the Croatian language, though, 'biljka' is the word used to refer to herbs. On the Dalmatian coast, however, where dialect and life are far more laid back than in Zagreb, fewer words are used to refer to a larger number of things. Travarica is considered a Dalmatian concoction throughout the former Yugoslavia, but it is made in the home just about everywhere throughout Croatia and the other ex-Yu republics. One need only throw a bunch of aromatic herbs into a bottle and then fill 'er up with grape brandy. Technically, one should not use grappa. Grappa is, as the previous post mentions, produced from grape pomace - the stems, seeds, skins and other detritus left over from making wine. Lozica (also called grodica outside of Dalmatia) is pure grape brandy. That's what you need for a proper infusion of travarica. My neighbors in Marina and around Zagreb make their own wines and brandies, and so subsequently they make their own travarica. None of them use wormwood. I don't believe anyone in Croatia uses wormwood in their travarica. I've never heard of it being included. So, to answer your original question, Richard: No. Travarica is not in the absinthe family. It contains no wormwood. But technically speaking, absinthe is in the travarica family. I've written a fair amount on Croatian and Balkan food at my culinary blog, http://articlesofmastication.com, and I'm developing a website specifiaclly dedicated to Dalmatian gastronomy at http://dalmatiancooking.com if any of you are interested in further information. I'll be updating more frequently soon. I've only just now completed another year of furious travelling and research, and life is gradually returning to normal. I look forward to sharing more information on these little known culinary idioms. Incidentally, those who are REALLY interested in Dalmatia and its cuisine are free to contact me about the gastronomy tour of Dalmatia I've designed in conjunction with the luxury travel agency Secret Dalmatia (http://secretdalmatia.com). I'm able to offer a lower promotional price for the tour than what's offered at Secret Dalmatia. Thanks for checking out my sites. I just found this group, and I like what I see. Perhaps I'll chime in from time to time... Pozdrav, John J. Goddard On Mar 3, 9:58 am, Christophe Bachmann > wrote: > Richard Wright a écrit :> As the OP, let me say (4.5 years later) that I never did get an answer > > to my original question. Is the Serbian/Croatian drink 'Travarica' > > within the range of variation of other European drinks called > > 'Absinthe'? > > Looks like some Travarica could resemble in some ways Absinthe, but > AFAIK Travarica are a whole range of brandies infused with herbs. > > Fromhttp://www.johnjgoddard.com/2008/01/13/travarica/: > In Dalmatia, the king of all rakijas is travarica (TRA-va-ree-tsa), a > sophisticated spirit acclaimed as a superb digestive aid and tonic. It > is quite simply an infusion of grape brandy and a variety of herbs, and > there are as many recipes for travarica as there are people producing > it. Some contain as few as 10 herbs, while others can contain 20 or > more. Travarica often contains rosemary, chamomile, lavender, rose hips, > matgrass, juniper, thyme, currants, mint or sage, but the list of > possible additions is practically endless. > > No special mention of wormwood, the essential ingredient of absinthe, > and that seems corroborated from other sources all around the web. > > HTH > -- > Greetings, Salutations, > Guiraud Belissen, Chteau du Ciel, Drachenwald, > Chris CII, Rennes, France |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
There's an unusually good article on absinthe in Wikipedia. I spend a fair amount of time in Dalmatia, where travarica is endemic, and have tasted probably more of it than is good for me. Lazarus |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
"John J. Goddard" > writes:
>I'm developing a website >specifiaclly dedicated to Dalmatian gastronomy at http://dalmatiancooking.com Doesn't that belong in the "Spotted Dog" thread? Lee Rudolph |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 20:24:13 -0800 (PST), "John J. Goddard"
> wrote: <snipped> > >My neighbors in Marina and around Zagreb make their own wines and >brandies, and so subsequently they make their own travarica. None of >them use wormwood. I don't believe anyone in Croatia uses wormwood in >their travarica. I've never heard of it being included. So, to answer >your original question, Richard: No. Travarica is not in the absinthe >family. It contains no wormwood. But technically speaking, absinthe is >in the travarica family. > <snipped> Welcome John. I take the point that domestic Travarica is whatever grasses and herbs you care to put in the spirits. I was first introduced to it in Coca Cola bottles in the Tuzla market place in Bosnia. However I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might have been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Thanks for the welcome. I look forward to the discussions.
Ever hear the term 'perverzija', Richard? My friend Gule says cooking scorpion fish under the peka is a perversion. Whether or not Maraska is lacing their hooch with wormwood, I think a lot of people I know would frown on the inclusion as perverse. Wormwood is not very good for you at all, and it doesn't carry a nice flavor. I also hear that the reputed psychoactive properties are technically a myth. Rogačica (lozica infused with carob pods) has the bitterness you'd encounter with wormwoood, and none of the poison. I think the best rogačica I've had was on Pelješac. John On Mar 4, 2:27 pm, Richard Wright > wrote: > Welcome John. > > I take the point that domestic Travarica is whatever grasses and herbs > you care to put in the spirits. I was first introduced to it in Coca > Cola bottles in the Tuzla market place in Bosnia. > > However I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica > mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might have > been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
> I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica
> mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might > have been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. I think that's flavoured with walnut. Dark brown and bitter. ==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === <http://www.campin.me.uk> ==== Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557 CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:59:32 +0000, Jack Campin - bogus address
> wrote: >> I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica >> mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might >> have been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. > >I think that's flavoured with walnut. Dark brown and bitter. > >==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === <http://www.campin.me.uk> ==== >Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557 >CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts Not the Maraska Travarica. That's clear, with a trace of yellow - like pale urine. God dammit, I shall have to take a trip to the bottleshop 5 km away. |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 02:59:50 -0800 (PST), "John J. Goddard"
> wrote: >Thanks for the welcome. I look forward to the discussions. > >Ever hear the term 'perverzija', Richard? My friend Gule says cooking >scorpion fish under the peka is a perversion. Whether or not Maraska >is lacing their hooch with wormwood, I think a lot of people I know >would frown on the inclusion as perverse. Wormwood is not very good >for you at all, and it doesn't carry a nice flavor. I also hear that >the reputed psychoactive properties are technically a myth. Rogačica >(lozica infused with carob pods) has the bitterness you'd encounter >with wormwoood, and none of the poison. I think the best rogačica I've >had was on Pelješac. > >John > >On Mar 4, 2:27 pm, Richard Wright > wrote: >> Welcome John. >> >> I take the point that domestic Travarica is whatever grasses and herbs >> you care to put in the spirits. I was first introduced to it in Coca >> Cola bottles in the Tuzla market place in Bosnia. >> >> However I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica >> mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might have >> been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. Well, I'm sure that millions of drinkers of Absinthe, both past and present, think that the flavour of wormwood is nice. And if I am right about Maraska's contents (and I must visit my bottleshop to see) then millions of Croatians are happy with the perversion. The only harmful attribute of wormwood that I know of is its alleged psychotropic property. now played down (see Wikipedia entry on Absinthe). I guess that Parisians sat mutely drinking absinthe because of an insufficiency of nourishing food to go with the absinthe, that on its own they could scarcely afford. So perhaps Van Gogh cut off his ear because of a surfeit of alcohol, not because of a surfeit of wormwood. One recipe that is supposed to reconstruct the flavour of 19th century Parisian Absinthe is to take 5 grams of fresh wormwood leaf (Artemisia absinthium), macerate it in a blender with a small quantify of ouzo, leave five minutes, strain the mixture through a coffee paper filter, add the strained liquid to the remaining bottle of ouzo, add 2 level tsps of caster sugar and dissolve. Dink diluted with iced water. But beware - this may be dangerous to drink. I am no authority on wormwood. I have tried it, but did not become addicted. I doubt that I ever shall, to put it bluntly. |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
I'm a fan of ansinthe. Best I've had was in Budapest.
J On Mar 5, 11:27 am, Richard Wright > wrote: > On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 02:59:50 -0800 (PST), "John J. Goddard" > > > > > wrote: > >Thanks for the welcome. I look forward to the discussions. > > >Ever hear the term 'perverzija', Richard? My friend Gule says cooking > >scorpion fish under the peka is a perversion. Whether or not Maraska > >is lacing their hooch with wormwood, I think a lot of people I know > >would frown on the inclusion as perverse. Wormwood is not very good > >for you at all, and it doesn't carry a nice flavor. I also hear that > >the reputed psychoactive properties are technically a myth. Rogačica > >(lozica infused with carob pods) has the bitterness you'd encounter > >with wormwoood, and none of the poison. I think the best rogačica I've > >had was on Pelješac. > > >John > > >On Mar 4, 2:27 pm, Richard Wright > wrote: > >> Welcome John. > > >> I take the point that domestic Travarica is whatever grasses and herbs > >> you care to put in the spirits. I was first introduced to it in Coca > >> Cola bottles in the Tuzla market place in Bosnia. > > >> However I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica > >> mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might have > >> been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. > > Well, I'm sure that millions of drinkers of Absinthe, both past and > present, think that the flavour of wormwood is nice. And if I am right > about Maraska's contents (and I must visit my bottleshop to see) then > millions of Croatians are happy with the perversion. > > The only harmful attribute of wormwood that I know of is its alleged > psychotropic property. now played down (see Wikipedia entry on > Absinthe). I guess that Parisians sat mutely drinking absinthe > because of an insufficiency of nourishing food to go with the > absinthe, that on its own they could scarcely afford. So perhaps Van > Gogh cut off his ear because of a surfeit of alcohol, not because of a > surfeit of wormwood. > > One recipe that is supposed to reconstruct the flavour of 19th century > Parisian Absinthe is to take 5 grams of fresh wormwood leaf (Artemisia > absinthium), macerate it in a blender with a small quantify of ouzo, > leave five minutes, strain the mixture through a coffee paper filter, > add the strained liquid to the remaining bottle of ouzo, add 2 level > tsps of caster sugar and dissolve. Dink diluted with iced water. But > beware - this may be dangerous to drink. I am no authority on > wormwood. I have tried it, but did not become addicted. I doubt that I > ever shall, to put it bluntly. |
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History of Absinthe and Travarica
Every absinthe I've had is flavoured with at least anise, and often
others. Have you ever tasted pure wormwood oil without the other niceties? J On Mar 5, 11:27 am, Richard Wright > wrote: > On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 02:59:50 -0800 (PST), "John J. Goddard" > > > > > wrote: > >Thanks for the welcome. I look forward to the discussions. > > >Ever hear the term 'perverzija', Richard? My friend Gule says cooking > >scorpion fish under the peka is a perversion. Whether or not Maraska > >is lacing their hooch with wormwood, I think a lot of people I know > >would frown on the inclusion as perverse. Wormwood is not very good > >for you at all, and it doesn't carry a nice flavor. I also hear that > >the reputed psychoactive properties are technically a myth. Rogačica > >(lozica infused with carob pods) has the bitterness you'd encounter > >with wormwoood, and none of the poison. I think the best rogačica I've > >had was on Pelješac. > > >John > > >On Mar 4, 2:27 pm, Richard Wright > wrote: > >> Welcome John. > > >> I take the point that domestic Travarica is whatever grasses and herbs > >> you care to put in the spirits. I was first introduced to it in Coca > >> Cola bottles in the Tuzla market place in Bosnia. > > >> However I am confident that one of the commercial brands of Travarica > >> mentioned wormwood/absinthe as one of the ingredients. It might have > >> been the Maraska brand made in Zadar. > > Well, I'm sure that millions of drinkers of Absinthe, both past and > present, think that the flavour of wormwood is nice. And if I am right > about Maraska's contents (and I must visit my bottleshop to see) then > millions of Croatians are happy with the perversion. > > The only harmful attribute of wormwood that I know of is its alleged > psychotropic property. now played down (see Wikipedia entry on > Absinthe). I guess that Parisians sat mutely drinking absinthe > because of an insufficiency of nourishing food to go with the > absinthe, that on its own they could scarcely afford. So perhaps Van > Gogh cut off his ear because of a surfeit of alcohol, not because of a > surfeit of wormwood. > > One recipe that is supposed to reconstruct the flavour of 19th century > Parisian Absinthe is to take 5 grams of fresh wormwood leaf (Artemisia > absinthium), macerate it in a blender with a small quantify of ouzo, > leave five minutes, strain the mixture through a coffee paper filter, > add the strained liquid to the remaining bottle of ouzo, add 2 level > tsps of caster sugar and dissolve. Dink diluted with iced water. But > beware - this may be dangerous to drink. I am no authority on > wormwood. I have tried it, but did not become addicted. I doubt that I > ever shall, to put it bluntly. |
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I've had a mint flavored absinthe
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