Russian birch water?

[grasswire]

Oh my, today I was in an Eastern European grocery in my town and it was just a bounty of things I wanted to try. I could have easily spent a couple hundred bucks there on things I'd never heard of. Good thing I was riding the city bus, so I could only carry one bag.

One of the intriguing items was gallon glass jars of a clear liquid bearing a label that showed birch trees and birch leaves. Hmm. I asked the proprietor about it, but very little English was available to him and he could only say "birch tree drink."

Anyone ever heard of such a thing?

I gotta tell ya that the place was a dream for foodies. Beautiful nuts and dried fruits, and all manner of huge jars of pickles, and cheeses and sausages and and and and.....

I might have to go back for the birch water.

Edit to say: Tell me about the international markets in your town. I love them!

[Stinky The Clown]

1. There are more than these, but the ones we go to are an Asian market and an Italian market

The Asian market is really interesting. It started as a small Korean grocery. Then it grew in size. Then it become pan Asian (Chinese and Japanese items were added). Then it became Eastern, adding many other Asian cuisines (Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, Filipino, etc.) and many Arabic and Indian/Pakistani items.

Then the staff changed and many Latinos were employed there. Soon enough, Latin items were added. The place is simply amazing. Where else can one buy durian melon, kimchee, assorted curries, and tamarind soda?

They have the best fresh fish around. There is so much turnover on the fish that it is always fresh. Their meats are pretty good, too. I have recently come to enjoy a good short rib braise. Their short ribs are meatier and cheaper than in our soopermarket.

The Italian place has been in continuous business since 1908. All the familiar items are there - meats, cheeses, olives, olive oil, macaroni, baked goods, cookies, canned items, imported items, etc., etc., etc. Their prices are amazingly cheap - one half to one third of what the soopermarket charges.

And it *smells* like an Italian market.

[grasswire]

2. so do you buy the durian?

I don't know if I could try that. It must be in markets in my town; we have a big Eastern influence.

I'll bet there's a good Greek market in your town, no?

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I would never buy a durian, but they sell a LOT of them

I have no idea who buys them. I see lots of people pointing to them and making unkind gestures of one sort or another. I never see anyone buying them. But they either turn them over or they have the world's longest shelf life.

There are a few Greek markets around town. The best one, however, is a Greek-Italian market. Unfortunately, it is far from us, way across town where we used to live when we first moved here 30 years ago. I get over there every now and again. Some things are timeless; that store is one of them!

[Retrograde]

7. look for 99 Ranch

it's a chain of markets catering to the Chinese communities on the West Coast. They frequently have durians.

I like their fish, but the produce tends to come pre-wrapped in larger quantities than I'm willing to deal with.

Back to durian - I've tried to buy it at farmers' markets in Hawaii, but Mr. Retrograde refused to let me bring it into the car. It doesn't smell bad uncut. Breadfruit, OTOH, can get rather pungent.

[elleng]

3. Birch beer/Root beer?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_beer

[grasswire]

5. no, it isn't birch beer

No alcohol. Good guess, though. It's totally clear and colorless. In a big glass jug with a lid that looks like the canning seals we use on ball jars. No ring, just the flat seal.

I can't find anything on the internet about Russian birch water or beverage.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. Birch beer

isn't alcoholic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_beer

[eShirl]

14. birch beer doesn't have alcohol

neither does root beer, for that matter

"Birch beer is a carbonated soft drink made from herbal extracts, usually from birch bark. It has a taste similar to root beer, with a slightly minty and sharper flavor. Various types of birch beer are available, distinguished by color. The color depends on the species of birch tree from which the sap is extracted (though enhancements via artificial coloring are not uncommon). Popular colors include brown, red, and white (clear), though others are possible. After the sap is collected, it is distilled to make birch oil. The oil is added to the carbonated drink to give it the distinctive flavor. "Black birch" is the most common source of extract."

[eleny]

6. Birch water...

My first thought on this is that it's not a food but is used in the steam bath. You know how small branches with leaves are dipped in water and smacked around on the body? So I wondered if this was water they use when they don't have birch branches handy.

I don't know for sure, so it's just a thought because of the large size of the jar.

[grasswire]

9. that's an interesting thought....

....and I remembered them using birch for medicinal purposes too. But this guy specifically said it was a beverage, and it was on the shelves where the teas and juices are.

I'm just gonna have to go back out there and get some and ask for more info.

[Hekate]

10. Funny experience: just now I googled "birch tree drink" and it linked me to this thread!

This very thread is the only reference. :rofl:

If you ever find out, please tell us...

Hekate

[flamin lib]

11. I live in the mid-cities of Dallas/Fort Worth and we have a lot of

ethnic markets.

There's a little Vietnamese market where I buy fish and shrimp. This stuff was swimming a few hours ago and all packed on fresh ice. Buy 16-20 count head on shrimp for $3.00/pound and fish (whole, and I mean WHOLE) for a few $/pound. They clean/fillet/to your request after they weigh and price the fish. Just get there early . . .

Lots of nice vegetables depending on the day. Everything fresh is locally grown and produced except the sea food.

There's also a huge Chinese mega-mart with all sorts of imported kitchen stuff. Bought a 7 inch cleaver for $10 last year. I've cleaved bones and frozen food for a year now and never sharpened it. Amazing!

I buy all my spices at middle eastern groceries. There's one near UT Arlington that's not as big as the average convenience store where $1.99 will buy zip lock bags of cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, curries and stuff I have no idea about. Lots of dried lentils and beans of varieties I've never seen. Like the Asian markets they have produce depending on what's available. They had a pallet of fresh tomatoes for .39/pound and often have bell peppers for .39-.40 each but you need to use them today.

There's a Mexican market nearby too, but I've not been that impressed with it for quality or selection. I'm sure there are other ethnicities represented as well but I haven't discovered them yet.

[tigereye]

17. my husband buys spices and basmati rice at a small Middle Eastern grocery

here

we also have several Asian grocery stores in the Strip District, as well as Italian produce, cheese and meat stores... there is also a Mexican grocery in this area. In other sections of the city, such as Bloomfield there are several Italian groceries. I think most large urban areas have a wealth of diverse groceries, depending on the neighborhood.

[Dover]

12. Birch Juice?

I think this site is discussing that product.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/506866
http://www.birchworld.org/info/about_birch/
Never heard of it.
So glad you asked because it led me on a search and I discovered
we had a local Russian market and cafe I never knew about.
So thanks! Can't wait to try their borscht.

[grasswire]

15. thanks for the info

It must be diluted sap. It's totally colorless.

[politicat]

13. If it's the same thing...

As I used to get when I lived in Kiev, it's lovely. Slightly sweet, almost woody... It's probably birch sap or birch water. It's been over a decade since I've had any and I am really trying to remember the flavor, but I know I liked it when I lived there. The women in my building all drank it while we were washing clothes (and there's a story there, but it's not for here...) and I swear it was their prescription for EVERYTHING from earaches to cramps.

They may have smaller bottles, too. I don't remember large bottles.

[grasswire]

16. That's encouraging.

I will report back.