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Kvass


Schattenmann

1,821 views

I'm looking for a drink

In 2005, I was in Moscow, and we went to this restaurant called Myu Myu; it was like a Russian Golden Coral, buffet, big fiberglass cow on top of the roof.

I accidentally picked up the translator's glass and drank his drink, and he gave me a weird look, like he was expecting something. I asked what it was and he said it was kvass and apologized. I said what for, it was really good, which amazed him.

Now: The drink at Myu Myu was thick, pink-ish, kind of sweet, and a little malty.

So, I convinced the translator to sneak off to the grocery store with me, and I bought 4 litres of kvass to bring home.

I opened a bottle on the plane, and an attendant bumrushed me to tell me there was no alcohol allowed, I saw her nametag was Polish, so I said, it's just kvass, and her eyes got big as saucers and she said "oh, you're American? You LIKE kvass?" And I told her I did.

Then I poured a cup, and it was brown, thin, and sour. And it was disgusting.

Are any of you Russian and/or do any of you have any idea what I drank? I've wanted more for 10 years.

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Wikipedia tells me Kvass is basically an improvised fermented beverage made from stale bread. Something like applejack, but typically made from scraps of old rye bread instead of apple scraps. This sounds like your brown, thin, and sour drink. Looks like this one: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/08/14/204859046/america-are-you-tough-enough-to-drink-real-russian-kvas

Wikipedia doesnt go into a lot of detail but recipe sites seem to offer possible clarification. There's a wide variety of Kvass types, some are heavily flavored with berries etc and the color can range from brown towards the pinkish with those. There's also something called 'beet kvass' that is very pink and not at all brown.

So I am thinking at the Myu Myu you had a very upscale foo-foo sort of kvass either heavily flavored with something pink, or possibly even made from something pink like beets and/or berries with little or no bread at all, while at the market you got 4 liters of cheap brown kvass.

Some more pink-hued versions:

Beet Kvass: http://wellnessmama.com/9087/beet-kvass-recipe/

Orange Ginger Beet Kvass: http://www.meltorganic.com/orange-ginger-beet-kvass/

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What you got at the bar might have even been a mixed drink of some sort that merely used kvass as an ingredient as well.

You have me curious and I am still hoping to hear a genuine Russian or at least eastern european response.

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Or you could move on to the second link and avoid the recursion.

Google does tailor results to person, perhaps it knows you only care about CN?

When I google pink kvass I get pictures of cubed beetroot, and link after link to recipes involving beets.

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