Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about bison but were afraid to ask…
By Magdalena Jensen, Website "Polskie Radio S.A.", September 23, 2008
I would like to spend the next four minutes introducing you to a rather bizarre and unexpected Polish phenomenon: the bison. Now, despite having lived in Poland for a total of two years, I didn’t even notice the pervasiveness of the bison until this past weekend.
My friend from the United States arrived in Warsaw on Friday evening for a quick, restful and relaxing weekend hitting up the pretty rad night scene in Poland’s capital. Before the parties got underway, however, we had to eat and drink. On the way to the store to buy some pierogi, Sean said: “Ok, the one thing that I was told to do while I’m in Poland is drink some bison-urine vodka.”
“You mean Zubrowka?” I asked, instantly knowing what he meant, however puzzled by the urine reference.
“Yeah, my Austrian friend said that there’s this vodka with a blade of grass in it that comes from a field where bison roam. Clearly, the bison must pee everywhere, so it’s urine-flavored vodka.”
Somehow, this made sense to me. In fact, it even answered my long-standing query as to why the delicious mix of apple juice and this very famous Polish vodka kinda tastes like my mom’s apple pie. Well, no, it provides no such insight, it does, however, make me think twice about the whole bison thing.
Sean, apparently equally puzzled asked, “What’s with the bison thing anyways? I mean, we’re in Poland, not Wyoming.”
That was a question I did not actually have an answer to.
Further research gave me some answers. It turns out that Poland’s Bialowieza National Park in the northeast hosts Europe’s largest concentration of bison. The bison and Europe’s only primeval trees live together in a park that covers 20 square miles. The bison roam, however, into the Bialowieza forest that covers 220 square miles and is contiguous to Belarus’ Beloveskaja Pusca National Park.
In fact, just today, Poland sent five of their prized bison to Hungary. The cooperation is part of a program to help restore the endangered species to Hungary’s wild forests. Two bulls and three cows were sent from Poland to a farm where they are to reproduce then be reintroduced into the Fuzerkomlos forest in north-eastern Hungary.
The bison are herbivores, grazing on grass, likely the same grass that goes into Zubrowka vodka. Because the bison live in a fenced in area, the same area where the blades of grass come from that go into each and every bottle of Zubrowka, Sean’s inference regarding urine is likely correct.
However, additional research into the vodka brand reassured myself, and fellow Zubrowka drinkers, that we are not really drinking pee with our vodka and apple juice.
Zubrowka is a rye-based herbal vodka mixed with a tincture made from Hierochloe odorata, commonly known as bison grass. It is this tincture that lends the taste, color, and odor of the bison grass (and actually the vodka is a bit yellow, making it that much more suspicious). The blade of grass, the company assures, is merely decorative.
Still a bit mystified with Poland’s love of the bison… and trust me, the Poles very proudly lay claim to Europe’s bison stock, just look at the logo of Poland’s national bank, Bank PEKAO… you guessed it, a lovely stylized blue-and-white bison greets each visitor to the cash machines.
So, still mystified as to Poland’s love of the bison, I poked around a bit further. Zubrowka claims that their vodka “is rumored to be an aphrodisiac and potent agent for virility.”
Additionally, bison are mythological symbols of formidable power, prosperity and plenty. This makes sense as to why a bank would choose bison as their logo. Any sort of hope for financial prosperity, especially in light of the current economic situation, is likely to keep people from cashing in on all of their stocks.
If you would like to experience a bit of virility, power or prosperity, I suggest ordering a szarlotka, the next time you go to a bar. Szarlotka is actually the Polish version of an apple pie. My aunt makes a particularly scrumptious version… the liquid version is based on the taste of apple pie. It is quite a simple combination: one shot of Zubrowka per glass of apple juice. The result is delicious, mysteriously cinnamon-y and very pleasant.
In the U.K., you should have no problem whatsoever acquiring the legendary vodka, just visit your neighbourhood Polish deli. However, acquisition of authentic Zubrowka in the U.S. will prove difficult. Bison grass apparently contains a compound called coumarin that was prohibited by the Food and Drug Administration, thus banning it’s import into the country. Polish companies, really not wanting to lose out on the U.S. market, have combined some other chemicals to create a coumarin-free version of the beverage.
While I in no way advocate excessive drinking, indulging in an alcohol-laced beverage is customary in Poland. If you’re homesick for mom’s apple pie or planning a fun night out on the town, order a szarlotka. Not only will you get a surge of bison-power, you will no doubt, in some roundabout way, contribute to the maintenance and preservation of the majestic Polish bison, a dwindling population.
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