Before analyzing the different aspects of what I call “the civilization of ouzo and tsipouro” in Greece, I would like to submit to your judgment some of my personal ideas about the Greek culture and its relation with Europe.
I believe that Greeks need Europe to the extent they are not Greek. Contrariwise, Europe needs from the Greeks what is principally Greek. This apparent paradox can be understood if we take into consideration the origins of what is Greek. This consideration, however, cannot be of a formalistic nature, if the purpose of it is the perception of the unchangeable Greek element.
Thus, it is not true that Greeks are democratic by tradition. Recognizing the ancient City as a precursor of modern democracy is pure formalism: the Greek perception of the City –as it was first expressed in ancient times and was completed in the Middle Ages– was communal. The ideal behind the tradition of the ancient Greek-state was not the Monaco-ism or Andorra-ism; it was to restrain the State from interfering with peoples` lives through the communication that existed between them. Its target was not the absolute domination of a superhuman law, but the worldliness of world. The Greek City was never institutional, it was cosmological.
Nor is it true that Greeks are nautical people by tradition. They are equally seamen and landsmen. Themistocles was not the only type of Greek, Leonidas was equally Greek and Ulysses was not a ship-owner. What is unchangeably Greek in them all is the reality of their roots. Ulysses, as well as the heroes of Greek popular songs, was a homesick man. Suffering on account of roots is a Greek phenomenon. Greek tradition – ancient, Byzantine and modern– is dominated by this suffering, by the anguished search of origins. The Greek universe does not have a vague and demanding supreme law as its first cause. The Greek universe is a growing cosmos, whose roots lie in the fundamental one and eternal world.
Fermented of distilled beverages have been therefore chosen over water throughout the ages, not only in Greece but also in other ancient societies. They provided psychotropic effects and were considered more nutritive. Starting by the Greek philosophers, some have even said –not without reason– that alcohol was the primary agent for the development of Western civilization, since more healthy individuals –even if inebriated much of the time– lived longer and had greater reproductive success.
When humans became “civilized”, fermented beverages were right at the top of the list for other reasons as well: conspicuous display (the earliest Neolithic wine, which might be dubbed “Chateau Hajji Firuz”, was like showing off a bottle of Petrus today); a social lubricant (early cities were even more congested than those of today); economy (the grapevine and wine tend to take over cultures, whether Greece, Italy, Spain or California); trade and cross-cultural interactions (special wine-drinking ceremonies and drinking vessels set the stage for the broader exchange of ideas and technologies between cultures); and religion (wine is right at the center of Christianity and Judaism; Islam also had its “bacchic” poets, like Omar Khayyam).
According to these thoughts, it is obvious that, centuries ago, Greeks figured out that licorice was not just for kids. From a very long time, therefore, our national liquor is ouzo, which gets its strong licorice flavor from anise. This anise-flavored alcoholic drink is traditionally and exclusively produced in Greece. Especially after securing the exclusive production of ouzo in Greece, this traditional drink provides opportunities for great success in international markets. There are other anise-flavored liquors, but by law nothing can be called ouzo unless it is from Greece.
The term ouzo cannot be translated. It is a registered name, based on the tradition of a distillate whose history is lost in the passage of centuries. Its origins can be traced to Egypt, from where its distillation came to Greece. Initially, it was destined to be consumed in the Greek territory, which at the time included Asia Minor. The commercial accolades arrived later.
The largest concentration of ouzo stills is on the Greek island of Lesvos. There, the Greeks make ouzo the way their ancestors have been making it. Ouzo is clear, but should turn milky white when water is added. Some devotees store it in the freezer, so they can drink it neat. But it should be slipped, not chugged, and it is traditionally accompanied by hors d` oeuvres, “mezes”, in Greek.
Is ouzo just a different flavor of alcohol? Who knows? One American research suggests that ouzo is an acquired taste, but one that can be acquired quickly. The second ouzo was better than the first and, by the third, one taster has to be restrained from bellowing “Never on a Sunday” in a harsh, out-of-tune voice. As for the effects, it is best to quote the rhapsodic description from one Greek web site: “It is the drink which is discerned from a pleasant aggressive that balances their scents, bringing revolution in senses and giving the sweet remembrance and glee of every peculiar time in life”.
Probably, the translation is enormous. Maybe the writer just had too much ouzo. In any case, for Greece ouzo may be the most sociable drink ever born. It has a tradition and philosophy. Those who share its special taste come closer to each other to share a conversation. Ouzo is the drink of companionship and confessions. It is the drink of Greece that no-one can copy. Its recipe is simple and at once exquisite. It has been linked to the sun, the sea, the joy of life. Its taste and enjoyment are inextricably linked to history and memories. Its taste has conquered the whole of Greece, as well as the tourists that visit. Ouzo is an alcoholic drink that does not need ageing. It is a nice accompaniment to all seafood and strong-tasting fried food. For Greeks, and not only, is a way of life.
The same remark could be said for tsipouro, the near cousin of ouzo. Tsipouro is a genuine Greek product. It is not produced in any other part of the world except Greece. Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 36% alcohol per volume and is produced from the must residue of the winepress. The distillation process lasts for about three hours, during which the product is tasted for its alcohol content and controlled by increasing or decreasing the heat. Finally, the distillation stops just when the acquired tsipouro has the desired taste.
The name tsipouro is used throughout the country, except from Crete, where the same spirit with a stronger flavor is known as “tsikoudia”. In some areas of Greece, the oriental name “raki” is also used. The best tsipouro is produced in Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia and on the island of Crete. The first production of tsipouro was the work of some monks. This happened in the 14th century, on Mount Athos in Macedonia. Then, this idea of using the must residue of the winepress in order to produce a spirit, passed to viticulturists in poorer regions of the whole country, which already used the distillation process for other purposes. Thus, tsipouro was born.
Depending on the time of the year, tsipouro was used either as refreshment or as a hot beverage, and depending of the time of the day, it replaced the drinking of coffee or wine. Tsipouro and tsikoudia, as with all alcoholic beverages in Greece, always seemed to coincide with various social gatherings, as their consumption had a festive and symposium-like quality. Today, tsipouro has been acknowledged and appreciated by consumers and is recommended by wine drinkers from all over the world; because none of us drinks alcohol. We drink delicious, liberating, inspiring or sociably significant liquids, which happen to contain alcohol.
By: N. Peter Kramer
