New Year's Eve Prep: How to Drink Vodka

Until we were twenty-three or so, New Year's Eve meant one thing: getting out-of-control drunk, vomiting in the streets, and passing out face-down on a table at some diner at 3am. Paaaaaaarty! If only we had access to this amazing post from Russian Blog, explaining how Russians manage to put away a couple of litres of Vodka and maintain verticality:

One hour before the party.

1. Eat a couple of boiled potatoes.
2. Drinks one or two raw eggs.
3. Drink one or two table-spoons of olive oil. Sunflower oil will also do.
Thus it’s guaranteed that at the Russian party you will stay sober for at least one bottle of vodka. I’m not kidding. Raw eggs are the most important part of Russian pre-party preparations.

At the party.

1. If you start drinking vodka – drink only vodka. No beer or wine. No water or juice. Carbonated drinks are taboo.
2. Drink vodka only in shots. Never sip.
3. Eat immediately after taking a shot. Russian zakuskis are often translated as appetizers. That’s not quite correct. Zakuskis are something you ‘zakusyvayesh’ with after taking a shot of vodka. They are very important to neutralize alcohol. That’s why they all contain two most important alcohol neutralizers – acid and salt. I recommend taking the following sequence:
- immediately after taking a shot – two slices of lemon;
- then some salted cucumbers, pickles, marinated tomatoes or caviar.
- then something with a lot of oil: herring (traditionally with cold boiled potatoes and onion), sardines, or shproty (small smoked sprats in olive oil);
- then traditional Russian salads, like Oliviye or Herring with boiled beet and mayonnaise. Almost all Russian salads come under heavy mayonnaise dressing. Remember – acid, salt, eggs and oil. Ukrainians and Southern Russians prefer smoked lard with garlic but it’s a zakuska for professionals.

Okay-- the potatos, olive oil, and even the raw eggs seem doable, but there's no way you're having any New Year's Eve sex if you stink of herring and beets! Do any of you hardcore alcoholics have other useful tips for staying semi-sober? [Related: all of this talk about Russian food has us wondering if reservations are still available on New Year's Eve at Firebird or the Russian Samovar. Check it out!]