What the hell was I drinking?

So many of our meals in Spain ended with a complimentary eau-de-vie, or sherry, or something. One in particular, at Julian de Tolosa, ended with a particularly nice anise-tinged one:



Today I went to Sam's to look for such things. And I realized I really didn't even know what the category was of what I'd been drinking. Was it sherry? Brandy? (Not that harsh.) A cordial? A liqueur? (What's the difference?) I saw lots of weird fruity-flavored stuff and chocolate liqueurs and all sorts of things, but the more I looked, the less I felt like I had any idea just what it was I was looking for.

Anyone think they know what it was we would have been served?

Could it be Pacharan ? A pretty common digestif in Spain & Basque Country. Good stuff. This stuff could possibly even be located in the gin aisle, since it is essentially a gin.

Very good guess, to judge by what I just read about it. Gin-like makes sense, it was definitely less lighter-fluidy than a brandy, and though not totally unlike sherry, that didn't seem quite right either. It's a Basque restaurant, too, so that supports the idea.

I'll hunt some down and find out.

As a side note, did you happen to slurp some txakoli on your trip ? A great, crisp, sometimes floral, petillant dry white wine from the Basque Country. Tiny growing regions though, making it a real PIA to find over here. In fact, I just came back from the stores trying to find one to match my Basque-inspired fisherman's stew for tonight (marmitako). No luck on finding it.

No, never had it, though I ate at a tapas bar named for it.

Sam's has a few txakoli.

https://secure.samswine.com/advanced_se ... c_subcat=1

Earlier this year, after being introduced the the Spain volume in the exceptional Culinaria series, I posted briefly about patxaran (the Basque spelling, or pacharan) on the drink board. (Don't bother with the "thread," it got only one reply.)

According to Teresa Barrenechea's The Basque Table--an excellent cookbook which I recommend to those with an interest--patxaran is actually made in Navarra by adding sloe berries and a couple coffee beans to a bottle of anis/anisette. The bottle is aged for a few months and the result can be seen in Mike G's picture.

I ended up unable to find it here (not trying as hard as I should have) and so I ordered a bottle from K&L Liquor in SF. Cost me $34.99. Imagine my dismay to find it at Sam's as well a few weeks later--for literally half the price ($17.99, as I recall).

The only brand that appears to be exported to this country is Baines; judging by what I've read--and with the benefit of Pigmon's tasting expertise--I have gathered that this is a pretty good example of the stuff.

So if you're seeking to find it, you need go no further than Marcey Street.

tatterdemalion wrote:As a side note, did you happen to slurp some txakoli on your trip ? A great, crisp, sometimes floral, petillant dry white wine from the Basque Country. Tiny growing regions though, making it a real PIA to find over here. In fact, I just came back from the stores trying to find one to match my Basque-inspired fisherman's stew for tonight (marmitako). No luck on finding it.

I had it at Webster's wine bar about a month back, or so.

It definitely looks like pacharan. I have a bottle of "Zoco" at home I picked up while travelling in andalucia last year. For an anisette-flavoured liquor it is really refreshing over ice with a slice of orange!