A Polish Kiss is Hard to Get
This is not about the kissing of the Polish girls. The cocktail
named "Polish Kiss" is even harder to get.
Here's the recipe: 1 jigger Vodka Żubrówka in a tall glass
with fresh apple cider over ice. This delicious concoction is also known as the "Frisky Bison" or "Szarlotka" (meaning "apple pie").
Simple you say. Now try to make one. Read on . . .
It all started when we came back from Europe recently with a
bottle of Bison Grass Vodka from the Duty Free shop in Amsterdam. Our bottle is
distinctive in that it has a furry “bison hair” wrapper. How cool it that!
You've heard the expression, "The Hair of the Dog"? This dog got some
hair!
Also known as Żubrówka (ʐuˈbrufka), it is a rye based vodka
flavored with bison grass which can only be produced in Poland at the Bialystok
distillery. It has a distinctive aroma of new-mown hay.
Żubrówka goes back before the Middle Ages and Bison Grass is said to give vitality and stamina. The power of the bison! It's considered an aphrodisiac. The kind of stuff that makes you want to gallop in the dark of night bareback and buck naked. Blindfolded racing through a dense birch forest with only the light of the moon and your trusty steed's instincts as a guide. And, yelling at the top of your lungs, throwing gold doubloons at the fairies and elves you pass along the way. Look it up, dude. This is legend.
You should know that the traditional Żubrówka made with real
Bison Grass is not imported into the United States. Bison Grass contains
coumarin, a moderately toxic substance banned by the FDA based on clinical
tests with animals. There are some brands imported into the United States which
do not contain coumarin but reportedly have a similar taste to the real deal
Żubrówka.
We are not in any way recommending use of any banned
substances, for legal and health reasons.
For our own part we make homemade Żubrówka at home with a few straws of Bison Grass in good rye or potato Vodka. If after your own due diligence on the subject you want to make your own, there is an importer who can supply the dried grass produced in Poland.
