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Papua New GuineaFlavors · Podláquia
Flavored vodka with bison grass that grows in the clearings of the Białowieża and Knyszyn forests in Podlaskie. It has a light green-golden color and the smell of dry hay, and the official name is a protected geographical indication of the European Union.
Traditional drink from Podláquia
Also known as: Wódka ziołowa z Niziny Północnopodlaskiej aromatyzowana ekstraktem z trawy żubrowej, Herbal vodka from the North Podlasie Lowland aromatised with an extract of bison grass
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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żubrówka — Podláquia, Poland
Żubrówka is a vodka flavored with bison grass, the herb of the species Hierochloe odorata and Hierochloe australis. The name comes from żubr, the European bison, which lives in the Białowieża Forest and eats this grass. According to the official specification, the drink has a light green color with golden reflections, a slightly sweet herbal taste with a bitter background, and an aroma of dry hay provided by the coumarin in the plant.
The grass is hand-harvested by experienced gatherers, licensed by the Ministry of the Environment, in the clearings and fields at the edges of the Białowieża and Knyszyn forests, or in cultivated fields. It is air-dried in the shade and separated into hay and decorative stalks. The hay is macerated for three days in a water-and-alcohol solution, and the macerate rests for about a month in oak casks; producers call it duch puszczy, the spirit of the forest. It is then mixed with cereal alcohol, water and a little sugar and filtered.
The official recipe, “Wódka ziołowa z Niziny Północnopodlaskiej aromatyzowana ekstraktem z trawy żubrowej,” is a protected geographical designation for a spirit of the European Union: it can only be made on the North Podlaskie Plain, with bison grass harvested there, and must contain at least 37.5% alcohol and a minimum amount of coumarin. In Poland, the drink is simply called żubrówka, which is also the name of the best-known brand produced in Białystok.
Żubrówka is served chilled, in a small measure. Like any alcoholic beverage, it appears at meals and parties to be enjoyed in moderation.
Podláquia
The geographical designation only allows żubrówka to be made on the North Podlaskie Plain, with bison grass from the Białowieża and Knyszyn forests.
Cereal alcohol, water, macerate of bison grass (Hierochloe odorata and Hierochloe australis) from the North Podlaskie Plain, and a little sugar.
Chilled, in a small measure, accompanying snacks and meals.
Meals and parties, no fixed date.
Your questions
A vodka flavored with bison grass harvested in the Białowieża and Knyszyn forests in Podlaskie. It has a light green-golden color and the smell of dry hay.
The name comes from żubr, the European bison, which lives in the Białowieża Forest and feeds on the grass used to flavor the drink.
Yes. The official name, herbal vodka of the North Podlaskie Plain flavored with extract of bison grass, is a European Union geographical indication: it may only be made in that region, with the grass harvested there.
Flavors of Poland
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A very sour sauerkraut soup with smoked pork ribs or other smoked pork, served with boiled potato on the side or with bread. It’s the dish of the highlanders of Podhale, the Zakopane region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains.
