Mass market mineral waters like Perrier and San Pellegrino act as a high-end counterpart to artificially carbonated seltzers and club sodas, their naturally occurring fizz and smattering of calcium connoting freshness and vitality. It’s therefore easy to forget that the drink’s original focus wasn’t elegant thirst quenching but health, with most of the major brands originating as bainological boutique products from 18th century spa towns. Case in point is Russian mineral water Yessentuki, which like its French cousin Vichy, focuses more on its healing powers than any refreshing qualities, pretty much necessary since it tastes like salt water. It basically is salt water, although this isn’t just any salinous stuff scooped straight from the ocean, it’s a magnesium rich mineral broth prized for its supposedly salutary properties. This brand claims that the spring from which it’s drawn has uniquely restorative abilities, growing hair on the head of a sickly bald child, thus explaining the name of the river and surrounding town, which means ‘living hair.’ The bottle was mistakenly purchased at a Georgian bakery in Sheepshead Bay - I thought it was this elusive tarragon soda - and no, I did not actually drink the entire thing.
2 Comments
Gabriele
4/30/2015 05:41:03 pm
Hi...found my way here trying to get info on Russian mineral waters...I haven't tried the imported tarragon soda you pictured, but I've had the domestic ones (US) which are sold in a local Armenian store.(I'm told the owners are not Armenian but there is a focus on such products because of the large Armenian community in Glendale).I've had the soda...I like the tarragon flavor (as a cooking herb) and its slightly licoricey taste...but the soda uses corn sweeteners and so it is too sweet with the 'mouth' feel of such sodas.It's not very thirst quenching...perhaps if it were well-chilled rather than just served with ice the flavor might be more pleasing. I go to the store often (my favorite market for all kinds of purchases) so I'll check to see if they have anything like the one you've shown. I know they carry a wide variety of beers from the area...which I haven't tried. I prefer the Dutch brands.
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charles dawkins
10/26/2020 04:40:00 pm
I am looking for these two products and where I can buy them online by the case Dr. Essent 17 rock and CTapbin nctoyhnkb no. 4. thank you
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