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Arak delivers anise flavour with fire and ice

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  • Arak delivers anise flavour with fire and ice

    The Gazette (Montreal)
    November 25, 2006 Saturday
    Final Edition

    Arak delivers anise flavour with fire and ice

    by SARAH MUSGRAVE, The Gazette


    The sip: Chateau Kefraya arak
    The price: $7.50 for a shot

    The smell: A strong scent of anise greets the nose, with barely a
    whiff of alcohol beneath it.

    The look: It's a three-parter, comprising a glass of colourless
    liquid, another of ice cubes and a bottle of water. When the spirit
    is diluted, it turns cloudy and changes from clear to milky white.
    The ice is always added afterward.

    The taste: The aniseed flavour is unmistakable and concentrated, but
    surprisingly smooth and rounded. At 53 per cent alcohol, it's a quiet
    fire, one that doesn't burn the throat on the way down.

    The story: Distilled from fermented grapes and aniseed, arak is
    thought to have been developed by non-Muslim minorities in the Middle
    East. Traditionally, grapes were harvested in the fall, with
    distillation taking place in November. Although Islamic law has long
    prohibited the consumption of alcohol, the art of distilling was
    greatly advanced by early Arab scientist Jabir ibn Hayyan, who
    invented the alembic in the 700s, making the process of chemically
    separating substances far more efficient, systematic and safe.

    The source: Le Petit Alep (191 Jean-Talon St. E., 514-270-9361) is a
    busy Syrian-Armenian bistro that stocks three kinds of arak, with the
    Lebanese brand Kefraya considered to have the highest quality of the
    bunch. It's usually served with a range of mezze from the region, as
    it pairs particularly well with aromatic dips, zatar and pita bread.

    The twist: Arak finds variants in such anise-flavoured liquors as
    ouzo in Greece and raki in Turkey, as well as the somewhat sweeter
    French pastis.

    Something worth sipping? Send suggestions to [email protected]
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