Arak. What is it? A potent liquor that hails from the Middle East. Arak is a clear, colorless liquor flavoured with anise, similar to ouza, pastis, or Raki. It is nicknamed “the milk of lions,” and is popular in Mediterranean countries. Commonly consumed in social settings, the drink is famous for its potency, and the milky-white color it turns when water is added to it. How is Arak served? Arak, literally the sweat of the distillation, has been refreshing the palates of the Levant for over a thousand years. Arak has high alcohol content and is best served ice cold with a 1/3 to 2/3 Arak/water mix and prepared by pouring first the Arak, then the water, followed by the ice and always in a fresh glass. it is not only what the drink is served with so much as it is how it is served. While water and ice are normally added, ice should never be added first. Ice causes a film to produce on theop t of the liquid that is seen as unpleasing, so adding water first turns the drink a milky color and inhibits the effects of ice alone. Using multiple glasses when drinking Arak is also common, due to the effects of mixing with water and ice. Middle Eastern restaurants will usually provide several glasses for their customers when serving arak. This smooth, cool, refreshing liquor, tasting of licorice with a hint of peppermint. Its palate-cleansing qualities complement the full spectrum of contrasting flavors found in mezze dishes such as olives, fresh almonds, spring onions, goat cheese and even raw, minced lamb, while its aniseed properties ensure that its always easy on the stomach. The mezze is usually a combination of flavors difficult to pair with wines. Therefore, we recommend Arak with the traditional Levantine mezze, as the aniseed taste refreshes the palate and makes every bite a new experience. There are drinks to get you drunk, and there are drinks to be savored with food, Arak represents the latter. Arak distillers also tout it’s holistic properties, claiming that the aniseed aids in digestion and relaxation. What Does Arak Taste Like? Tiran Arak is typically made from grapes, though dates, sugar, plums, figs, and molasses can be used depending on the region where it is made. Though Arak in its pure form is colorless, the clear liquid is aniseed-flavored. Aniseed is added to the distilled alcohol during the second of three distillation processes. The ratio of aniseed to alcohol can vary which results in different qualities of Arak, but the strength of the drink usually falls between 30%-60%. 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA / P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia / Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com CONTACT US TO PLACE AN ORDER IN YOUR AREA! Our Arak Tirana ARAK RAMALLAH JABALNA KAFROUN 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA / P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia / Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com CONTACT US TO PLACE AN ORDER IN YOUR AREA! Arak in the news. 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA / P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia / Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com CONTACT US TO PLACE AN ORDER IN YOUR AREA! Contemporary ways to drink Arak. Arak is commonly mixed with water, which causes emulsification of the anise oils, turning the solution a milky white color. It is also sometimes mixed or chased with juices. Ice can also be added to Arak, however, it should be added after any mixer, because adding ice directly will cause fat to solidify out of the arak and leave a film on the surface of the drink, and the glass. Habayit Cocktail Oriental Nights Traditional. The Dining Hall • 1 measure of Arak • 2 ounces Arak Philadephia • 2 measures of crème de cassis • 2-3 ice cubes • 4 large pieces grapefruit • Zest of orange Pour Arak into Arak glass. • 1 teaspoon sugar Tonic to taste to complete Add water slowly until it turns white. • 2 sage leaves, plus more for garnish Add ice cubes. • Arak • 45 milliliters sour mix Arak Azure Muddle the grapefruit, sugar, and • 1½ oz. Arak Cocktails. sage leaves. Fill a shaker with ice • 3/4 oz. blue curacao and add a dose of Arak, 45 milliliters • Splash rose water Saz-Arak of the muddled grapefruit mixture, and the sour mix. Shake and strain Stir and Strain into a martini Zahav Restaurant long orange twist Philadephia into a cocktail glass and garnish with a sage leaf, if you like. • Arak • 2 oz Basil Hayden bourbon Pamarak • 1 oz St. Germain Arak & Grapefruit Layla • 1/2 oz of lemon juice • 4 oz. chilled fresh grapefruit juice St. Louis • 1 dash of orange bitters • 2 oz. Arak • Arak • Orange twist • Pama liqueur 3 Mint Sprigs, to garnish, Combine Rinse a rocks glass with Arak. grapefruit juice and Arak in a • Pomegranite In shaker with ice, add the bourbon, chilled cocktail glass. Fill with ice • Lemon St. Germain, lemon juice, and orange and garnish with Mint to serve. • Ginger syrup bitters. Shake, strain in the rocks glass, and garnish with an orange twist. 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA / P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia / Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com CONTACT US TO PLACE AN ORDER IN YOUR AREA! Jerusalem Cocktail Copenhagen Special The Jack Ker-Arak Chamomille Simple Syrup • 1 oz. cl Arak Dos Gatos • 1 part sugar • 1 oz. Aquavit Jacksonville, Fl (Cody Mashni, bartender) • 2 parts water • 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice • 1/2 oz. Arak • 2.5 oz. Buffalo trace Bourbon Dried chamomille flowers or a bag Pour all ingredients into a cocktail of chamomille tea shaker with ice. Shake and strain into • 1/4 orange a flute glass. Garnish with a lemon • 6 pomegranate seeds Arak Grapefruit Concoction slice. Serve. • Orange bitters • Juice of one big juicy pink grapefruit • Simple syrup • A good Arak Araktini Muddle pomegranate seeds and • A few sprigs of mint orange. Add Arak and Bourbon, dash • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed of bitters, and simple to taste. Shake • Seltzer Meyer lemon and strain over big ice cube in a rocks Quickly simmer the syrup with • 4 tbsp freshly squeezed glass. Garnish with orange peel. the chamomille leaves, strain and clementine juice leave to cool. Juice the grapefruit. • 3 tbsp Arak For every serving blend: two muddled • 4 tbsp room temperature water Arak Cup mint leaves, a twelfth chamomille • 1½ tsp sugar syrup, a third Arak, 4 parts fresh- Dos Gatos • 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds squeezed grapefruit juice, 2 parts Jacksonville, Fl (Cody Mashni, bartender) • Zest of half a Meyer lemon (more or less) seltzer. Garnish with a • 1.5 oz. Arak • Ice few mint leaves. • 1/2 oz. pimms In a cocktail shaker, combine water and • 1 lemon sugar and shake well until dissolved. • 5-10 mint leaves Add lemon and clementine juices, Arak Phoenician Cream • Simple syrup • Arak and ice and shake well. Pour into a • Soda • Coffee martini glass, add pomegranate seeds and lemon zest. • Cream Muddle mint leaves. Add juice of one lemon, Arak, pimms and simple syrup to taste. Shake and strain over ice in Arak Azure The Beirut a Collins glass, adding soda intermit- • 2 parts fresh pomegranate juice tently. Garnish with mint leaf. • 11/5 oz. Arak • 1/2 oz. blue curacao • 1 part Arak • 1/2 part simple syrup • Splash rose water • 1/2 part club soda Ramallah Sunrise Stir and Strain into a martini Dos Gatos Mix Arak, syrup and soda; long orange twist Jacksonville, Fl (Cody Mashni, bartender) pour into a cocktail glass, add pomegranate juice. • 1.5 oz. Arak • .25 oz. St. Germaine • 4 oz. Grapefruit juice • Soda Combine Arak, St. Germaine, and grapefruit. Shake and strain over ice in a Collins glass. Splash of soda to fill. Garnish with twist of lemon peel. 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA / P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia / Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com CONTACT US TO PLACE AN ORDER IN YOUR AREA! 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA / P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia / Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com CONTACT US TO PLACE AN ORDER IN YOUR AREA! 2909 St. Johns Avenue 5A / Jacksonville, FL 32205 USA P: 904.868.7991 / E: [email protected] / Skype: jasonbajalia Web: www.terrasanctatrading.com.