Ottoman Food Map
Ouzu, Raki, Arak, Zibib
Some form of Anise-flavored liquor is drunk in all Eastern Mediterranean cultures. Arak, raki, and ouzo are regional variations of strong (generally 90 proof or higher), clear alcohol distilled from grapes. Proper preparation calls for diluting with ice or water (if you are into that sort of thing), at which point the louche effect clouds the liquor to the murky off-white shade of dishwater. 
Anis-flavored drinks are usually accompanied by an array of small snacks known as meze, but can also be enjoyed with fish, octopus, kebabs, crackers, popcorn, poptarts, or even—in a pinch—drunk straight from the bottle on an Aegean mountainside with no food or water in sight. Raki / arak / ouzo are not for the faint of heart however; be careful to consume in moderation, or you may no longer be able to tell where east meets west...
Founder of the modern Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was a well-known raki aficionado. He was rumored to insist on at least a few glasses anytime he had to devise a new military strategy, reform a language, or listen to Tarkan.
The Albanian variant, uzo, mirroring the tenacity of its inscrutable homeland, stays stubbornly clear when mixed with water. It is available at a substantial discount however, roughly equivalent to the percentage of your visions left intact the morning after finishing a bottle.
