Having learned that in Russia lemon is considered a classic snack for cognac, foreign connoisseurs of this drink are shocked. They cannot understand how citrus, which interrupts even the most persistent taste, can be combined with a light, refined range of cognac. True, it must be taken into account that the quality of most domestic grape brandies is much lower than real French cognacs, and their taste cannot always be enjoyed.

The custom of eating cognac with lemon was introduced by the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. There are several versions explaining his motives, consider the most plausible.

1. Cognac in the morning. In those days, court aristocrats liked to treat themselves to alcohol immediately after waking up, the emperor was among them. The wife of Nicholas II, Alexandra Feodorovna, did not like such a “breakfast”, because of this, the emperor had to disguise himself.

He quietly poured cognac into the teapot, then with an air of importance poured it into a glass. Cognac and tea do not differ in color, it only remained to solve the problem with a snack. In order not to arouse the suspicion of his wife, the autocrat ate his “tea” with lemon sprinkled with sugar.

The world's first lover to eat cognac with lemon

2. Support for the domestic manufacturer. Nicholas II tried to prove to the world that in the Russian Empire they could produce goods that were not inferior in quality to their overseas counterparts. During a secular reception, which was attended by the French ambassador, the manufacturer Shustov presented the emperor with a large glass of cognac of his own production.

Realizing that the brandy in front of him was of low quality, Nikolai asked for a slice of lemon. After drinking a glass and biting into a lemon, the monarch frowned, but explained this by the tart taste of lemon. Then he smiled, praised Shustov's cognac and ordered that this wonderful drink be delivered to the imperial court. History is silent about the ambassador's reaction.

3. Nobility above all. According to another version, Nicholas II hated cognac, but it was this drink that was considered the most noble for men and was served at all secular receptions. Drinking anything else was considered bad manners.

In order not to look stupid, the emperor ordered that a glass be brought to him along with a slice of lemon sprinkled with sugar and coffee. He attributed the change in facial expression to the lemon, not the cognac.

Attention! None of the versions has yet been confirmed.

Snack "Nikolaska"

In memory of the strange predilection of Nicholas II appeared folk recipe named after him.

Ingredients:

• lemon - 1 piece;
• powdered sugar - 100 grams;
• ground coffee - 50 grams.

Recipe

1. Lemon cut into thin slices.

2. Mix powdered sugar and coffee in a ratio of 2:1.

3. Sprinkle the mixture over the slices and serve on a silver platter with a glass of cognac.

In some recipes, coffee is replaced with chocolate chips, and sugar with melted honey.

Exotic dish "Nikolyashka", can be served with vodka

Another original appetizer: put a thin slice of lemon between two slices of cheese, you get a “Hussar sandwich”.

P.S. You can snack on lemon with cheap grape brandies with a sharp taste. In all other cases, it is better not to throw money away.

Cognac, and even more so good, not every lover of alcoholic beverages can afford. No, the drink itself is quite affordable, but drinking it properly is very expensive. For example, in France there is the so-called "rule of three Cs", according to which they first drink coffee, then cognac and smoke a cigar. But smoking a cigar or cigarette while drinking cognac among the French is considered bad form, while here it is quite common. Americans dilute cognac with tonic or vermouth and drink it as an aperitif. Slavs eat cognac with lemon. Who came up with this, and how to properly bite cognac with lemon - we will tell you here.

Where did the tradition of eating cognac with lemon come from?

Drinking cognac with lemon was invented by Russians. There is a legend according to which this tradition was invented by Emperor Nicholas II. Having tasted French cognac, he considered it too strong, but there was nothing to eat it with. However, there was a lemon on hand, and he liked this appetizer. He taught his courtiers how to drink cognac with lemon, and this tradition spread and took root among all the peoples of the CIS countries. Europeans will never understand what “lemon for cognac” is, because for them it is very wild: lemon has a sharp taste and completely clogs the taste and aftertaste of the drink.

Why is cognac eaten with lemon

It is customary to drink cognac slowly, in small sips, warming the glass in your hand. It is not supposed to drink it in one gulp, as well as pour it into a glass or a plastic cup. Cognac is served in special cognac glasses, which are called "sniffers". Translated from English, "to sniff" means "sniff". Pour cognac into such a glass to its widest part. The upper part of the sniffer is slightly narrowed, and it has a spherical shape, and this is not accidental. It is this shape of the glass that is pleasant to hold in your hands, warming it. And, thanks to the tapered top, it is pleasant and convenient to inhale the aroma of cognac. There are many rules for drinking this drink, but this is not about that now.

Russians are the ones who came up with the idea of ​​eating cognac with lemon, and to this day this tradition has remained Russian, since no other countries, except for the CIS countries, have recognized this habit. Perhaps such an appetizer has become traditional because we do not have high-quality cognac, as, say, in France. Or maybe it's a different mentality. But one thing can be said for sure: today there are no objective reasons why it is impossible to eat cognac with lemon.

Snacks with lemon for cognac

Sometimes you want to make a more original appetizer for cognac than just slicing a lemon. There are many recipes for snacks for cognac with lemon, but not all of them can be called successful.

Other foods may also be included in the recipes for these snacks, including hard cheese, seafood, nuts and fruits. With the right combination, these products, combined with lemon, can fully reveal and complement the taste of cognac.

If we are talking about a snack that will consist exclusively of lemon, then it can be made unusual. Lemon can be cut in an original way, sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon, ground coffee or salt. By the way, such lemon slices are called "Nikolashki" - apparently, in honor of the one who came up with the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bbiting cognac with lemon.

Cognac etiquette has centuries-old traditions, however, we note that the ideas of Europeans are somewhat different from ours. What is the combination of cognac and lemon - mauvais ton or a tandem that is pleasant to taste?

There is a well-founded opinion that citrus completely clogs the subtle notes of high-end alcohol. Perhaps, but after all, who tried to drink cognac and eat it with lemon (and who didn’t!), They note that in this way the taste of strong alcohol softens, it is easier to use it.

The tradition of eating French cognac and brandy produced in the native empire is attributed to Tsar Nicholas II. Allegedly, it was he who introduced such a combination into fashion. After all, since the autocrat likes it so much, then the subjects should follow the example.

According to legend, elite French cognac was brought to the king (and what else can be brought to the court). But it seemed to him too strong and sharp, so he bit it with the first thing that came to hand - a slice of lemon. And he liked it so much that he introduced his close associates to such use. Then it "went to the people" and turned into a tradition.

Reference. French vintage and collection cognacs are for the most part really sharper than brandies produced on the territory of the former Russian empire.

We don’t want to debunk this myth, but we can’t help but note that hussars also ate cognac with lemon. Maybe not so massively, but this is a historical fact.

And thanks to Nicholas II, who lived in the post-hussar era and revered this combination, it was elevated to the Russian tradition. Although it is possible that he himself did not aspire to this.

Recipes

You can compose anything with lemon, because citrus is combined with so many products. Learn how to use cognac with lemon correctly, tasty and satisfying.

Snack "Nikolaska"

Another legend is connected with this snack. Allegedly, before the revolution, the aristocracy had a tradition of drinking early in the morning, even at breakfast. But the Empress did not like it very much. Therefore, Nicholas II, in order not to anger his wife, ordered to put a teapot with brandy near him. The color is one with tea!

The imperial couple sat at a decent distance from each other, Alexandra Fedorovna could not smell what her hubby yearned for. And the king, with an air of importance, drank cognac from a cup and ate it with a slice of lemon, sprinkled with sugar and chocolate chips.

Whether it’s true or fiction, people call this appetizer Nikolashka, in memory of the Tsar.

The recipe is simple: cut a lemon into thin rings and sprinkle half with sugar, and the other half with coffee, cinnamon or grated chocolate. For some reason, mixing ingredients is not allowed.

"Hussar sandwich"

When you think of the hussars, you immediately remember the war with Napoleon. The hussars were of noble blood, cognac was highly respected and they were well acquainted with the etiquette of its use. But still there was a war, deliveries were so-so. And often bottles of dubious quality fell into the hands of soldiers.

The best appetizer for cognac is cheese, you can’t argue. And in order to kill the sharp, and even unpleasant taste of front-line brandy, the hussars came up with the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bputting a slice of lemon between two thin slices of cheese. And so the "Hussar Sandwich" was born.

Cognac with lemon juice

In bars you can find such a cocktail:

• 50 ml brandy;
• juice from half a lemon (20-30 grams);
• 10 ml of sugar syrup;
• ice in a glass.

First, mix the liquid ingredients, then dip the ice cubes into the glass.

Lemon with cognac and honey

In this way, you can not only keep warm, but also cure the onset of a cold. Proven in practice. If you are cold, wet your feet in an ice puddle, and when you come home you feel a tickle in the nasopharynx and other symptoms of a cold, do this: pour dry mustard into a bowl, add hot water and steam your feet, taking with you a kettle of boiling water for pouring.

Have a family member make you this cocktail at this time. If there is no one, do it yourself and drink in small sips while soaring your legs:

1. Pour 50 ml of cognac into a stainless steel glass and put it in hot water so that it warms up to a warm state (no higher than 60 ° C).
2. Squeeze 20 ml of lemon juice into it.
3. Add a spoonful of liquid honey. If there is only candied, reheat in the microwave or in a water bath.
4. Mix and drink slowly.
5. After you have steamed your feet, put on warm socks - and under the covers.

It doesn’t matter if it makes you sleepy or wants to watch a movie, but lie down and sweat. By morning, from a cold, if it is not running, there will be no trace left. Yes, and with the “played out” condition will improve.

Carefully. It is absolutely impossible to soar legs at a temperature!

More Lemon Snacks

And here are some interpretations of the already mentioned recipes.

"Black caviar, red caviar"

In continuation of "Nikolashka" - slices of lemon, on which red caviar is laid on one side, and black caviar on the other.

And since lemon and fish are a great duet, you can dream up with salmon or other fish by putting a thin piece on a lemon slice.

"Hussars rule"

In the modern version, the "Hussar sandwich" can be like this:

• Slice the lemon into slices and arrange separately on a flat dish.
• Grate cheese on a coarse grater.
• Lay a slide of cheese on each lemon slice.

"Salty Slice"

To lemon, you can offer not only sugar, honey and sweet spices, but also salt and pepper. Try a "sprinkle" of salt and pepper - get a new experience.

"Transfer" meat

For meatloaf, ham, dry sausage, etc. Lemon is also good. Slice the meat thinly and arrange horizontally on a plate or platter. Top each slice with a thin slice of lemon.

Weight loss with cognac with lemon

Lemon helps in the fight against excess weight - a well-known fact. But that you can lose weight with the help of it and cognac seems incredible to many, because cognac, like other alcohol, is high in calories - about 240 kcal per 100 ml.

But for a diet, it does not need to be consumed in liters. The diet attributes 100 ml of cognac and 1 lemon per day.

1. Drink lemon water in the morning before meals.
2. Eat in moderation, limiting yourself to sweet, starchy and fatty foods.
3. Eat lean protein foods like chicken, beef, etc. 4 hours before bed.
4. After dinner for an hour, gradually, sip, drink 100 ml of cognac. Eat each sip with a slice of lemon. Eat the whole fruit, including the skin, within an hour.

Attention. The diet should not exceed two weeks!

You can resort to it only if you have no problems with alcoholism and health.

As soon as they do not call the Russian tradition of the simultaneous use of lemon and cognac: both blasphemous, and barbaric, and unpleasant. But their opinion is not so important to us. We do not teach them how to eat vodka. As they say: they have their own national traditions, we have our own.

So knowledge of etiquette does not harm, but it will not work to always apply its prescriptions. Therefore, we hope that the above snacks with lemon for cognac will definitely come in handy for you. And you, in turn, share them with your friends on social networks.

When making snacks, you should always remember that it should only complement the taste of cognac, and not interrupt it. Moreover, one appetizer is suitable for cognac from one grape variety, and completely different for another.

Most often, the following ingredients are added to snacks:

• nuts;
• seafood;
• fruits.

If they are correctly combined with lemon, then you can get a dish that can not only complement, but also more fully reveal the taste of cognac.

If there is no time to cut fruit and grate cheese with nuts, then you can do it easier:

• lemon cut into thin slices;
• mix coffee, cinnamon and sugar (sometimes replaced with salt);
• some recipes suggest grinding them until smooth;
• Sprinkle lemon with seasoning mixture and serve.

The most common name for this recipe is Nikolashka.

Weight loss with cognac with lemon

Before revealing the whole secret, it should be noted that excessive drinking leads to alcoholism. By itself, it is not terrible. But, the diseases and changes in the body caused by it are simply catastrophic!

Lemon for weight loss really works. And many women have already proven their worth this method. It is based on the diuretic effect that lemon has. That is, this is not quite an ordinary weight loss, thanks to this method, the body dries up and gets rid of excess water. Athletes this procedure called "dry". The main thing is not to forget to drink plenty of water. Juices, teas, coffees and any other drinks will not work. So, while we are losing weight, we drink only water, and as much as possible.

One of the best results was shown by the famous Russian tennis player and simply beautiful Anna Kournikova. Thanks to the use of "cognac-lemon" means and a special protein nutrition she reduced her waist by 4 centimeters in the first week. The second week “took” another 2 centimeters with it. After that, the process of losing weight stopped. The same is noted by all others who have used this diet.

How to lose weight with lemon

Lemon itself is an excellent diuretic. But they need to be used correctly. That is, you do not have to eat one lemon each morning at breakfast instead of regular food. Such actions can only lead you to a gastroenterologist, but not to the desired harmony.

In the morning we make ourselves a simple cocktail. Dilute lemon juice in warm water and drink 15-20 minutes before meals. Thus, you will not only provide your body with a shock dose of vitamin C, but also start digestion.

Completely exclude the following drinks from your diet:

• coffee;
• juices containing preservatives and carcinogens (all store-bought juices);
• Pepsi, Cola, Fanta and other "soda" from the store.

Instead, we only drink water. You can pre-purify it, boil it, distill it, but it is important to use ordinary H 2 O. You need to drink at least 2 liters per day. At first, it will be quite difficult to do this, but when the body realizes that it constantly lacks moisture, you will miss 2 liters per day.

Eat vegetables and fruits. This is not a direct necessity, but in conjunction with lemon “drying”, fruits and vegetables can significantly improve the effect. In addition, they will help improve the functioning of all organs due to the high content of micronutrients. Well nice bonus- they have quite a lot of water, which your body needs anyway.

Don't eat too many sweets! The increased content of glucose in the body leads to rapid fatigue. And unprocessed "sweet" trace elements are deposited by the body "for later" in the form of fats. And we are trying to get rid of them, so it is better to moderate your consumption of sweets a little while drying. All that he needs, the body will take from the fruits that you will eat 5 times a day.

Our diet is alcoholic. So if you're not sure you can handle 2 weeks of daily drinking. It is better to look at other lemon diets. The whole reason is that, as you know, a habit is formed in 2 weeks. A considerable number of daredevils who decided on a cognac-lemon diet, after its completion, could not quit alcohol and continued to drink it daily. And this is a diagnosis - alcoholism.

The role of cognac in the diet

Cognac in tandem with our diet also plays an important role. It fills the body with tannins, which act both on individual parts of the body and on the whole of it in general. Separate effects are observed in:

1. Cardiovascular system. The walls of blood vessels become stronger, and the muscles of the heart tighten.
2. Gastrointestinal tract. The walls of the intestines and stomach become more elastic. The stomach is cured of minor defects and wounds. The secretion of gastric juice becomes more productive.

In general, cognac, thanks to the tannins stored in it, as it were, “preserves” the body. That is, it slows down the aging of all organs in general. In this case, cognac with lemon for weight loss performs a number of how wellness procedures, and a set of actions to reduce weight.

Conclusion

Cognac and lemon is a very effective weight loss program that also heals the body. And very pleasant, I must admit. Therefore, if you are sure that after completing the diet, you can quit alcohol, then forward to weight loss and a beautiful body.

Cognac is one of the strong alcoholic drinks revered in Russia. This type of brandy got its name from the French city of Cognac, in which three specific grape varieties are grown. Cognac is stored in oak barrels, and the color saturation of the drink depends not so much on the aging time, but on the age of the barrel. According to some doctors, 20 grams of this wonderful drink a day can prevent the development of heart disease.

Each type of alcohol has its own original dish. However, cognac almost does not need snacks. According to the etiquette, it is served after a hearty meal to enjoy the exquisite taste and aroma. The realities of our days do not allow you to fully surrender to the savoring of the drink. Therefore, cognac with lemon or chocolate, according to most, is the best combination of products.

A bit of history

Taken as a basis for a long time, the use of brandy in English-speaking countries makes an impression on a Russian person. In the company of foreigners, cognac is not drunk; rather, it is tasted along with coffee and a cigar. Even the rule of five Cs is known, which implies the following sequence: cafe, cognac, cigare, chocolat, citron, which means coffee, cognac, cigar, chocolate, lemon.

Cognac has been produced in Russia since 1948 as a product of an individual branch of the wine industry.

In 1965, Soviet GOSTs and standards appeared, the production of alcohol was gaining momentum. Factories were built all over the country, grape crops were cultivated in acceptable climatic zones. Since the widespread use of brandy, a trademark called "cognac" has been allowed to be used only in France and Russia. The decline in production occurred during the years of the anti-alcohol campaign, which negatively affected the industry as a whole and the production of strong drinks.

Russian tsars and cognac

There are several versions about who invented drinking cognac with lemon. One of them testifies to the culinary discovery of Nicholas I, who drank the drink in one gulp. The unexpected strength of cognac made the Russian Tsar frown, and the lemon lying on the table extinguished discomfort. Another version says about the invention of lemon as a snack under Nicholas II. As if someone from the tsar's entourage spoke about the delights of citrus, which sets off the taste of cognac. The monarch tried and admitted this fact, after which he ordered the courtiers to eat the overseas drink only with lemon slices.

Opinion of connoisseurs

True French people enjoy cognac and do not allow it to be mixed with any snacks. The ideal combination is to follow the rule of three Cs: coffee - cognac - cigar. In Russia, since the reign of Nicholas, it is considered to be the best snack for cognac exclusively lemon. There are several options for citrus snacks:

1. Sliced ​​lemon sprinkled with ground coffee, grated chocolate or sugar.
2. They make canapes on a skewer, gathering together citrus wheels, cheese, olives.
3. Spread caviar or nuts on lemons.
4. Grated cheese mixed with honey is served in a separate bowl, for dipping lemon slices into it.
5. Caramelized half rings are prepared by boiling lemon slices in sugar syrup for an hour, and then drying them in the oven for about 30 minutes.

There is no unequivocal opinion about brandy snacks. Experts consider it bad manners to use cognac with lemon. The reviews of connoisseurs of the drink are rather skeptical. They believe that real cognac does not need snacks, and citrus acid only spoils the specific taste and aroma.

How to drink brandy

The optimum temperature for serving a drink is 22 degrees. The most suitable glass is in the shape of a tulip, which needs to be filled a quarter. Before use, you need to hold the glass in your hands for several minutes, slightly heating it. It is recommended to drink cognac in small sips so that it slowly spreads, and then passes inside. So you can feel the bright aftertaste left by the drink in the mouth.

What harmonizes with cognac

If the evening in a friendly company is extended in time and is accompanied by alcoholic drinks, snacks are an essential attribute of a fun pastime. In this case, you can forget about the rules for drinking cognac and offer guests dishes that are in harmony with this noble drink. To find out how to properly snack cognac, you need to heed the advice of experts.

Light snacks

At meetings that are not burdened by serious libations, it is more appropriate to serve light and casual dishes. In the list of noble snacks, the places were distributed as follows:

1. Dark or bitter chocolate with a maximum cocoa content.
2. Fruits: apples, melons, apricots, pineapples.
3. Berries: grapes, strawberries.
4. Hard cheeses: "Edam" or "Parmesan".
5. Nuts: peanuts and almonds.
6. Poultry liver pate.
7. Olives with pits.

Canapes made from light snacks will help the hostess of any celebration, unnoticed by the guests, to eliminate the unfortunate combination of cognac and lemon and present her culinary talents in a profitable way.

And drink and eat

Unfortunately, the Russian mentality does not contribute to the rejection of hearty meals for the sake of etiquette. Eating delicious food and drinking hard is not an easy task, but many manage to do it. In order not to spoil the holiday, to stay in your right mind and memory, you need to eat cognac correctly. What, besides canapes, to please the guests? The following dishes will help the hero of the occasion:

1. Low-fat varieties grilled meat.
2. Cold appetizers from poultry.
3. Vegetable cuts.
4. Sandwiches with caviar.
5. Salted salmon or trout.

It is not recommended to serve spicy dishes or foods cooked with an excessive amount of spices, such as sausages. No pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut. No need to snack cognac lamb or pork. Dumplings, dumplings, belyashi will be superfluous. Soups and borscht are also not suitable. But it is quite allowed to diversify the table with high-calorie sweets.

Desserts and drinks

At the end of the evening, tired of heavy food, the body requires something unusual. And here cognac with lemon will not help. It is better to choose sweets and juices. You can safely combine cognac with ice cream or chocolate cakes. The most preferred dessert is nut biscuits or tiramisu.

As for drinks, it is recommended mineral water without gas. You can drink cognac with apple or grape juice. A distinctive feature of the drink is its exclusive combination with dry white wine. Do not use brandy with carbonated drinks. For example, cognac and cola or Pepsi are called the worst of the combinations.

Lemons: pros and cons

The answer to the question why you can’t eat cognac with lemon is quite logical and lies in the composition of the fruit. Citric acid blocks the taste receptors, they become less sensitive and do not fully feel the cognac. In addition, citrus blocks the sense of smell for a short time, which also negatively affects the sensations experienced. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that lemon will never leave cognac snacks. This combination has settled very firmly in the head of a Russian person. It is important not to get carried away with the process of drinking and try to observe the measure in drinking alcohol with or without lemon.