What is "Breath of the dead lover?"
August 24, 2012 11:14 PM Subscribe
Has anyone heard of an alcoholic drink possibly of Czech origin, called "Breath of the dead lover?"
Other details. This was in a small town north of Prague. It was served in a shot glass and had an herbal flavor. The person who ordered it was Estonian. It was not my only drink that night and we were communicating in a mixture of English and German so the accuracy of my memory may be in question.
Other details. This was in a small town north of Prague. It was served in a shot glass and had an herbal flavor. The person who ordered it was Estonian. It was not my only drink that night and we were communicating in a mixture of English and German so the accuracy of my memory may be in question.
Czech and herbal screams Becherovka to me. No idea about the florid name.
posted by themel at 11:47 PM on August 24, 2012
posted by themel at 11:47 PM on August 24, 2012
Best answer: Fernet Stock is nicknamed "dech mrtvé milenky" (breath of a dead lover). I think it tastes like hairspray.
posted by Ariadne at 11:51 PM on August 24, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by Ariadne at 11:51 PM on August 24, 2012 [7 favorites]
I think that you are thinking of Fernet. I have heard it called this.
posted by jennyjenny at 11:56 PM on August 24, 2012
posted by jennyjenny at 11:56 PM on August 24, 2012
And I'm really stretching things now, but would that be phonetically similar to a drunk foreigner? The ch is a voiceless velar fricative here, which doesn't seem to be popular in mainstream English.
posted by themel at 12:02 AM on August 25, 2012
posted by themel at 12:02 AM on August 25, 2012
I retract my answer. Ariadne has it right. If you google the phrase, you see a photo of Fernet Stock. Even moreso, look at her profile -- she knows what she's talking about.
posted by Houstonian at 12:17 AM on August 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Houstonian at 12:17 AM on August 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks so much! I've been really curious. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be available here.
posted by the_artificer at 12:24 AM on August 25, 2012
posted by the_artificer at 12:24 AM on August 25, 2012
Malort might be kinda close to this, and it is definitely available in the Chicago area; you can probably find it online somewhere
posted by Fig at 2:52 AM on August 25, 2012
posted by Fig at 2:52 AM on August 25, 2012
I don't know about Fernet Stock, but as of 2006 you could get Becherovka at Zakopane on Division St in Wicker Park (if you're interested).
posted by treefort at 5:41 AM on August 25, 2012
posted by treefort at 5:41 AM on August 25, 2012
Oh, sorry, I misread and assumed you were in Chicago.
posted by treefort at 5:43 AM on August 25, 2012
posted by treefort at 5:43 AM on August 25, 2012
Malort might be kinda close to this, and it is definitely available in the Chicago area; you can probably find it online somewhere
Agreed. It also tastes like hairspray, so it might be similar.
posted by gjc at 7:58 AM on August 25, 2012
Agreed. It also tastes like hairspray, so it might be similar.
posted by gjc at 7:58 AM on August 25, 2012
Hm, I will have to remember to taste for the hairspray next time; I always get strong notes of Band-Aid.
posted by Fig at 8:10 AM on August 25, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Fig at 8:10 AM on August 25, 2012 [3 favorites]
You might find this Fernet.
http://www.fernetbranca.com/
My friends that tried mentioned medicine taste, maybe it's "hairspray like" tasting!
posted by jennstra at 8:52 AM on August 25, 2012
http://www.fernetbranca.com/
My friends that tried mentioned medicine taste, maybe it's "hairspray like" tasting!
posted by jennstra at 8:52 AM on August 25, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Houstonian at 11:44 PM on August 24, 2012