Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a cocktail known as an Uncut Gem, a brilliant red drink inspired by the actions of a Russian man named Peter Romanov, also known as Sergeant Pyotr Mikhaylov - also known as Czar Peter The Great - who started the infamous Russian beard tax on this day in 1698. The story behind the tax is interesting, and shows just how far a visit by one person to foreign lands can affect the history of an entire nation.
The beard tax was one of many results of Romanov’s “Great Embassy” excursion, an 18 month covert foreign visit to Europe. That trip is where Peter - the ruler of the Russian empire - traveled incognito as “Sergeant Pyotr Mikhaylov” with a company of around 250 people. The goal of the trip was for Peter and his team to learn all they could from the successes of Europe’s great nations, while appearing to be simple ambassadors. While the Russian empire at the time was geographically large, Russia was still politically & culturally somewhat unrefined and weak, when compared to the nations of Western Europe.
Peter the Great and his team learned a great many things during their 18 month trip, across a multitude of topics - from shipbuilding & manufacturing, to science, government, religion, and culture. They even picked up fashion & grooming trends - including the trend that most successful men in Europe shaved their beards.
According to Mark Mancini at the website Mental Floss, as part of the Czar’s triumphant return to Russia, a great reception & ball was held. In the middle of the evening’s festivities, Peter pulled out a massive barber’s razor, and began shaving off the beards of his assembled friends and guests, shocking everyone.
Initially, Romanov tried to force the modern shaved look of Western European men on all men within his empire. However, the powerful Russian Orthodox church, who saw men having beards as a religious right, made his efforts difficult – and Peter saw an opportunity to add to his nation’s coffers with a new tax.
So the Czar instituted a beard tax. Any Russian man who chose to dodge the barbers and preserve his beard had to prove he'd paid Romanov’s beard tax by carrying & showing a token they’d purchased. The token was inscribed with two phrases: "money taken" and "the beard is a superfluous burden."
Thankfully, today’s Drink Of The Day doesn’t require you to carry around a token. But it does require a few special items for this rich red drink recipe.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:
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