Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Rakia (also
Rakija or Raki) is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by
distillation of fermented fruit; it is a popular beverage throughout the
Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced
rakia can be stronger (typically 50% to 60%). Prepe¿enica is
double-distilled rakia which has an alcohol content that may exceed 60%.
Rakia is considered to be the national drink among Albanian and South
Slavic peoples. Common flavours are slivovica, produced from plums,
Kajsijevaca, produced from apricots and lozovaca, made from grapes.
Fruits less commonly used are peaches, apples, pears, cherry, figs, and
quinces. Popular home made variants in Macedonia, Bulgaria and Serbia is
rakija produced from mixed fruits. In the Istrian and Dalmatian regions
of Croatia, rakia tends to be home-made exclusively from grapes, where
the drink is also known locally as trapa or grappa (the latter name also
being used in Italy).
