Russia is renowned for its excellent food and abundant vodka. Drinking shots of straight vodka is an influence from Russian culture that’s embraced globally. Even the word “vodka” reflects how revered the spirit is in Russia; it translates to “little water” in English. The spirit is a critical component in the widely enjoyed White Russian cocktail. However, when consumed neat, vodka comes with a unique drinking ritual: sniffing bread, not swallowing it, after a shot. It might sound odd, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

The bread-sniffing ritual is less about the oddity and more about the inherent relationship between aroma and taste, as experienced through the olfactory system. The fragrance of the bread purportedly enhances the vodka’s smoothness. However, it’s not merely about the physical experience but also the symbolic act. By following the liquor with a fervent inhalation of the bread’s scent, drinkers symbolically express their sincerity. They communicate that they’re not merely drinking vodka for the high, but also for the appreciation of good food and great company.

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The affinity for vodka in Russia might have started with Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. He is believed to have standardized vodka to 40% Alcohol By Volume (ABV). Russians even celebrate January 31 as Vodka Day to mark Mendeleev’s defense of his dissertation “On Combining Water and Alcohol” in 1865, four years before he published the Periodic Table of Elements.

Social drinking in Russia is marked by unity and plenty. This is wonderfully exemplified in the Russian-inspired installment of Anthony Bourdain’s renowned show “A Cook’s Tour”, which carries the playful name “So Much Vodka, So Little Time.” Much of this famed national skill could be attributable to the regular snacking that accompanies the frequent vodka shots. In Russian culture, alcohol consumption isn’t seen as something to do in solitude, or without an elaborate array of Russian snacks, such as pickles, black rye bread, salted herring, and caviar. As per tradition, if your wallet does not allow for a spread like this, you make do by tearing off and sniffing a piece of bread. The vodka shots and bread-sniffing persist even after stomachs are sated with food.

The practice of drinking vodka neat, even when there isn’t ample food supply, stands as a testament to its deep-seated role in Russian everyday life. Even if food is scarce, one always has the option to sniff bread as a sign of propriety. Furthermore, no vodka shot in Russia is considered complete without a grandiose toast, once again emphasizing the significance of unity and togetherness.

For more, you can refer to the original article on Tasting Table.