Ouzo: It's Not For the Weak

I'd like to start out this week's blog by proclaiming my love for Pull-and-Peel Twizzlers. Seriously, if you've never tried them you have go buy some, pronto. Either there's something really fun about pulling the licorice apart like string cheese, or the Pull-and-Peel kind just lacks the god-awful taste I usually associate with licorice. Nevertheless, those Pull-and-Peel Twizzlers are the only thing I'll consume that even remotely tastes of the root. That's right, I won't even drink Ouzo.

I know what you must be thinking: "What kind of Greek doesn't like Ouzo?" Well, you're right. I am quite possibly a disgrace to my family. In fact, just writing the word "Ouzo" makes me think of some big-nosed old Greek guy with a mustache holding up his drink and yelling "Yamas!" (otherwise known as cheers). But I've never liked the drink; aside from the fact that the stuff is about as potent as drinks come, I can never seem to shake the disgusting licorice taste from my mouth after even the tiniest of sips. 

Of course, my distaste for Ouzo would never dissuade the rest of my family. 

Stereotype #3: Drinking Ouzo Like Its Water

Ouzo. Its at weddings; its at dinners; its at my cousins' 5 year-old birthday parties. The drink appears to circulate nearly every family function (as well as many of my uncles' bloodstreams). I'll never understand what makes the beverage so appealing, but I can say with confidence that its the drink of choice when you're looking to have a night you can't remember. 

Ouzo from my basement; made in my family's island, Kos

the Ouzo my grandfather and uncle make (notice its empty)

In talking about Ouzo, I think it'd be beneficial to bring back the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The same scene that depicts the roasting of the lamb also shows the Millers being bombarded with a variety of Greek foods and drink, one of those drinks being Ouzo. Out of politeness, the Millers take a shot of the strong-smelling drink. After just a few more sips of the stuff, the Millers become extremely dizzy and nauseous. The whole room starts to spin, and the thought of eating makes them sick to their stomachs. This scene does an excellent job of describing what the aftermath of your first Ouzo shot feels like. (I had mine in Greece, don't worry it was legal.)

A similar experience happened to my mom's non-Greek friends when they were in college. During her study abroad trip to Greece, my mom bought little mini-bottles of Ouzo for her friends to try back home. The bottles were only about the size of a portable hand sanitizer tube, but their size was quite deceiving. During a get together, all her friends eagerly chugged their respective Ouzo's. Though the party was fun while it lasted, I think it goes without saying they did not have a fun morning the next day. 

But the bottom line is, all Greeks (with the exception of myself) love nothing more than a good party with Ouzo; the stereotype is extremely true. So if your parents ever want to amp up a family get-together, have them buy some quality Greek Ouzo- just make sure they grab some aspirin on the way home.