Anatolian Kitchen - New Jersey

Artisinal Turkish Raki Ready for the Meze Table

The word raki comes from the Arabic araq, meaning distilled.  When mixed with ice and water. raki turns a translucent moonstone color and is known as Lion's Milk, Aslan Sütlü, because it is said that drinking it will make you as strong as a lion.  You can find it in liquor stores, but if your local purveyor doesn't have it, they can easily order a bottle.  Two of the most popular brands, Yeni and Efe are often available in the States and worldwide.

Raki is always paired with selection of mezes such as Anatolian Nut Mix (page 18 in the Tree of LIfe Cookbook) and Atilla's Olives with Garlic and Preserved Lemon here on the website's recipe section.

Watch these pages for a video on how to make your own raki cocktail.