Raki is the national Turkish drink. It’s referred to lion milk because firstly, when you mix it with water -many people drink it in this way- it turns into milk-white colour and secondly it makes you brave like a lion!
Basically, it is made of fermented grapes and it has a strong aniseed smell and taste. You have to have two glasses on the table: one is for raki (pure or mixed with water) and the other is for water. If you’ll mix it with water then you need to add 1 portion of raki and 2 portions of water for a single and 2 portions of raki and 1 portion of water for a double.
Traditionally it is drunk together with the food but recently many people started to drink it without food as well. Raki tables last long; you eat slowly, you drink slowly and you speak to your friends.
Our last words; usually locals love and visitors hate it! Don’t leave Istanbul without trying it though.
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pronounced ‘raakur’ with silent ‘r’ as the i has no dot.