KACHEN #28 (Autumn 2021) English Edition

FEATURE
THE MOST FAMOUS
OF ALL THE GREEKS
Whereby Ouzo might actually be Turkish, but, after all,
Zorba the Greek was also really a Mexican.
Taking a poll among your circle of family and friends
on what they spontaneously associate with the topic
of Greece usually gets you a few reliable answers. The
Acropolis is almost always mentioned, Aristotle not so
frequently, everybody knows Gyros, delicious olive oil
from Kalamáta is virtually unknown. When thinking
about Greek wines – already lauded in song by Udo
Jürgens – most think of Retsina, even if not everyone
appreciates its resinous taste. And then there is of
course Zorba the Greek and Sirtaki. More on that later.
But what everybody, and really everybody, especially in
relation to food and drink thinks of in connection with
Greece is …. Ouzo.
BEFORE, AFTER, OR DURING?
The Greeks are famous for their hospitality and the transparent
drop is a big part of that. You don’t even have to
travel to Greece to enjoy this hospitality. Here, too, it’s
traditional for the Greek restaurant around the corner to
offer a glass Ouzo. The question is, however: Before, after
or during the meal? That is where opinions differ. Many
non-Greeks tend to drink Ouzo as an aperitif. After all,
that’s what one does with Pastis, a drink also known for
its anis taste. Others swear of the spicy spirit as a digestif.
That seems logical for, besides the necessary anis, other
herbs and spices such as fennel or coriander are added
to Ouzo, and Kräuterschnaps (herb liquors) are known
to have a digestive effect. The Greeks themselves do the
following: They drink Ouzo during a meal, and especially
to accompany “Mezedes,” as is usually the name of the
starter dish that is the answer to Spanish Tapas.
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KACHEN No.28 | AUTUMN 21