The history of J. A. Baczewski vodka began in 1782 with the distillery of the Jewish merchant Leib Baczeles. His descendants moved the business to Znesinnia, converted to Christianity and became the Baczewskis. The factory was made Imperial and Royal Purveyor to the Court, and its drinks were known from Vienna to New York. In 1939 the factory was destroyed, but the brand was revived in Vienna.
In Ashkenazi cuisine, forshmak goes well with a glass of vodka – a herring spread with apple, egg and onion. It was traditionally chopped with a knife or cleaver; today a mincer or blender is easier.
4–6 servings · 40 min + 1 h in the fridge · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 2 salted herring fillets
- 1 large sweet-sour apple
- 1 onion
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 50–70 g softened butter
- 1–2 slices of white bread, soaked in milk or water and squeezed
- black pepper
- optional: a little vinegar or lemon juice
Method
- If the herring is very salty, soak it in water or milk for 20–30 minutes and pat dry. Check for bones.
- Peel and core the apple; peel the onion.
- Put the herring, apple, onion, eggs and squeezed bread through a mincer or blend to a paste.
- Add the butter and mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Season with pepper and, if needed, vinegar or lemon juice.
- Chill for at least an hour so the flavours blend. Serve on rye bread.
Tips
- The sourer the apple, the brighter the taste: it balances the saltiness of the herring.
- If you prefer texture to a smooth paste, chop the ingredients with a knife.
- The butter makes forshmak a dairy dish, so under kashrut it is not served with meat.
About the recipe
A traditional Ashkenazi recipe, home-style.