High Spirits: A story of vodka

The Food Programme

BBC

Arts, Food

4.4 • 943 Ratings

🗓️ 19 September 2021

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Vodka is a spirit with a rich cultural history in a host of European countries including Russia and Poland, where it’s been distilled for centuries.

In the west, it's traditionally been considered either a base for other flavours, or something to be knocked back as quickly as possible. But the recent craft spirits boom has seen more distillers experimenting with vodka, showcasing the subtle flavours of base ingredients or trying out quirky botanical additions; and now, a growing vodka fan club is eager to prove it has more to offer than some might think…

Jaega Wise sets out to learn more about the most neutral of spirits - visiting 2021 BBC Food and Farming Awards finalist Black Cow Vodka in Dorset to hear about distilling with milk, and trying some food pairings courtesy of local chef and restaurateur Mark Hix.

She also visits Ognisko Polskie, one of London's oldest Polish clubs, for a masterclass in tasting with Ognisko Restaurant director Jan Woronieki, also the founder of vodka brand Kavka; and Veronika Karlova, a drinks writer and consultant, chair judge for the World Vodka Awards and founder of GirlsDrinkVodka.com.

We also hear stories of slightly different vodka ventures from Arbikie Distillery in Scotland and Bakon Vodka in the United States – and get the mixologist's perspective, courtesy of Norwegian bartender Monica Berg: a founder of the non-profit industry discussion hub P(OUR) and co-owner of the London bar and restaurant Tayēr + Elementary.

Presented by Jaega Wise Produced by Lucy Taylor in Bristol

Transcript

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0:48.0	We hope you enjoy it. You've got whole stying cross with Norwegian Reds and fleckies. They're all grass fed. We're after a sweeter milk
1:06.2	with more protein and butterfat so we can make nice tasty cheese. My family
1:11.6	have been farming since 1600s, been making cheese since 1833 and lactose used to go to feed pigs but what we're doing is making it into Volka and it's a good
1:27.4	vodka as well.
1:30.4	Vodka from Milk, courtesy of Black Cow, one of the finalists in the Best
1:37.4	Drinks Producer category at this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards.
1:41.1	More from them and the herd a little later on.
1:45.0	Welcome to the food program, that place for hungry minds, where today we're
1:48.8	toasting vodka, much more than just a neutral spirit.
1:53.0	There's a rich cultural tradition associated with vodka in countries like Russia and Poland,
1:58.6	where it's been distilled for centuries.
	...

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