Polish vodka brand Żubrówka has shared a special recipe for this week: a classic Polish cocktail called Apple Zu, which translates to apple pie.
Żubrówka Vodka is over 500 years old and the third most popular vodka brand in the world, but perhaps the most interesting thing about it is the fact that there is a blade of bison grass from the Białowieża Forest inside each bottle.
There are only a handful of families in the Białowieża Forest, a protected UNESCO site on the border between Poland and Belarus, that have a license to pick the bison grass. The grass is taken from the forest to a facility where it dries for seven days. During this time, the width and height of each blade is adjusted to fit into each bottle size. Once the individual blades are transferred to the distillery, each bison grass blade is manually inserted into a bottle of the handmade Żubrówka Bison Grass Vodka.
The bison grass mixed with vodka creates an original flavor profile with hints of vanilla, almonds and cinnamon, perfect for making the Apple Zu cocktail.
We’ll be serving up Żubrówka’s Apple Zu cocktails at the Greenpointers Valentine’s Market this Sunday, February 4 from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Greenpoint Loft (67 West St., 5th Fl.). There will also be free tastings of Żubrówka’s signature Bison Grass Vodka!
Żubrówka’s Apple Zu Cocktail
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka
1 cup of apple juice
Ice cubes
1 slice of apple, for garnish
Directions
- Pour the vodka into a tall glass with ice.
- Fill the remainder of the glass with apple juice.
- Add the apple slice as garnish and enjoy.