40° Degrees East: An Anatomy of Vodka

Vodka is enjoying unprecedented popularity in the West at the present time. Specialized vodka bars are opening all over Continental Europe and the U.S. It is becoming increasingly fashionable to drink vodka neat. The top restaurants in New York, Paris and London no longer have misgivings about serving quality iced vodka with fine gourmet dishes. Premium vodkas are regularly found on the shelves of retail wine outlets reserved for cognac, euax-de-vie and whiskey. But paradoxically, in Poland and to a lesser degree in Russia, vodka’s popularity is waning as the middle class discover wines and spirits imported from the West. What is happening here? This neat book explodes the myths surrounding vodka, unravels its history and describes its production. The style and culture of vodka drinking are articulated in spellbinding fashion. This is truly one for the road. Table of Contents: Part I Chapter 1 - Demon Drink: The Cult of The Green Viper; pp. 1-20 Chapter 2 - Vodka Rites and Revels; pp. 21-39 Chapter 3 - A Thousand Years of Vodka?; pp. 41-74 Chapter 4 - Reflections on Perceptions; pp. 75-90 Chapter 5 - «Triple Distilled from Premium Grains»; pp. 91-112 Chapter 6 - Tasting Notes; pp. 113-116 Part II: Chapter 7 - The Only Genuine Vodka (Russian); 119-134 Chapter 8 - The only True Vodka (Polish); pp. 135-161 Chapter 9 - The Only Authentic Vodka (Ukrainian); pp. 162-167 Chapter 10 - Myths, Maths and International Brands; pp. 169-179 Chapter 11 - Drowning by Numbers: Vodka goes West; pp. 181-196 Glossary Index.