Ouzo "This is "uso Massalia", my friends"—referring to its high quality. The term subsequently spread by word of mouth, until "tsipouro" gradually became known as ouzo. However, the major Greek dictionaries derive it from the Turkish word "üzüm" 'grape'. Ouzo production begins with distillation in copper stills of 96% alcohol by volume (ABV) rectified spirit. Anise is added, sometimes with other flavorings such as star anise, fennel, mastic, cardamom, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon. The flavoring ingredients are often closely guarded company "recipes", and distinguish one ouzo from another. The result is a flavored alcoholic solution known as "flavored ethyl alcohol", or
Ouzo percent; the minimum allowed is 37.5 percent. Ouzo production itself does not include fermentation. In modern Greece, "ouzeries" (the suffix -erie is imported from French) can be found in nearly all cities, towns, and villages. These café-like establishments serve ouzo with "mezedes"—appetizers such as octopus, salad, sardines, calamari, fried zucchini, and clams, among others. It is traditionally slowly sipped (usually mixed with water or ice) together with "mezedes" shared with others over a period of several hours in the early evening. In other countries it is tradition to have ouzo in authentic Greek restaurants as an aperitif, served in a