This morning I was at Benjamin’s a bit earlier than usual. As I was sipping my coffee, Benjamin Pahović dropped by. He brought a whole pile of napkins just pressed by his wife, Milica. When he put them away, he came to the bar and offered me a glass of biska, local grape brandy or grappa with mistletoe leaves and honey. After the briefest of hesitations, I accepted. When he gave me the glass, I was a bit surprised by the color of the drink. It was pale yellow, whereas it is usually darker with a greenish tinge. When I tasted it, I screwed up my face: “This is salty!” Benjamin picked up his glass. “Oh,” he frowned after taking a sip, “this is wine!” When I tasted it again, it was not salty at all. It was regular Malvasia, which I know rather well. Expecting something very sweet, I registered precisely the opposite. The taste of Benjamin’s own biska reassured me of my senses a moment later.