Wednesday, January 6, 2010

One Word Wednesday: Na zdraví! (to your health!)

While visiting this holiday season my father gifted us a bottle of Becherovka, a traditional Czech herbal liquor. Anise is at least one of the characteristic flavor components.

A couple of years ago when we traveled to "the motherland" we were invited into people's homes and were toasted in the traditional means: abundant liquor served in a small glass with a toast, Na zdraví! (in Czech, "to your health"). Pictured here are some of the glasses (featuring the town fire engine and wheat crest) that we were presented to us by they mayor of Jenišovice, a small town where some of our Šimek ancestors once lived.

Do you have a favorite toast? What do you say when you raise a glass?