World Cup Recipes: Russian Bear Iced Tea
Photos: Nikolai Buroh
Recipes & Styling: Torsten Schmidt
Text: Leonie Kantratowicz
“Gon’ go get som’ beer”, someone belts out over the voices of the commentators, “yur lookn’ pred…ty ugly”. No one responds. My flatmate silently exchanges the glass in my hand with a bottle of water and it slowly dawns on me that the crazy lady with the blaring voice is once again me. But what can I do? If someone had told me this morning that a few hours later I would be pinned between two sweaty strangers stuffed into washed-out jerseys, both with beer bellies the size of small cars chanting “Wohhh woh oh oh wohhh ohhh” and shouting “Niiicce!! Noooicce!”, “Oooi, ref!” and “HAAAAND BAAALL!”, while my ears are filled with the rhythmic stomp of our feet on the carpet, I would have laughed. And laughed, and laughed.
Now I’m here, emptying my next glass of Russian Bear iced tea in long swigs while my flatmates try to prevent me and the Belgium fan, who I happen to be embracing, from falling from the bench. Who’s winning? I have no idea! But I’m having a good time either way. To say it in Andreas Möller’s words: the vibes here are making me have a real good feeling. A fantastic one even. Does that have something to do with the Vodka? Most definitely. And because drinking in Russia without a toast is alcoholism – Выпьем за то, чтобы у нас всегда был повод для праздника!
Cheers!
Russian Bear Iced Tea
6 cl vodka
3 cl fig liqueur
2 cl lemon juice
2 el raw sugar
10 cl apple juice
3 slices of ginger
3 apple wedges
1 lemon slice
Preparation:
Breifly bring vodka, fig liqueur, lemon juice, apple juice, sugar and ginger to a boil. Then cool for around two hours.
Serve in a wide glass with ice cubes, apple wedges and the slice of lemon and enjoy cold.
