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Spirits: Aquavit Remains a Popular Choice in Scandinavian Cultures

Spirits: Sampling the Season's Aquavit Offerings

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Spirits: Unique Aquavit Traces Norwegian Roots in Distilling Tradition
Spirits: Unique Aquavit Traces Norwegian Roots in Distilling Tradition

Crack open a world of flavors with this straightforward recipe for a Scandinavian classic – aquavit! Otherwise known as akvavit, this spine-tingling spirit promises a versatile taste journey, with an array of spices and herbs taking center stage. This article steps you through the process of making your very own aquavit, complete with a nod to our Summer Solstice menu.

  • Yield: 1 (750-milliliter) bottle
  • Difficulty: A breeze for beginners
  • Total: 5 mins, with a 2-week infusing period
  • Active: Just 5 minutes of your time

Ready to dive in? Here's what you need:

  • 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 medium lemon, rinsed and dried
  • 1 medium orange, rinsed and dried
  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle vodka, such as Absolut or Svedka
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Time to get your Aquavit on!

  1. Toast the caraway, fennel, cardamom, and cloves in a small frying pan over medium heat, shaking occasionally until remarkable fragrance fills the air, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Using a nifty vegetable peeler, remove a quarter of the peel from the lemon and orange, avoiding the white pith. Pop those peels aside.
  3. Sip or discard about 2 tablespoons of the vodka from the bottle.
  4. Add the toasted spices, lemon and orange peels, and sugar to the bottle. Fasten the lid tightly.
  5. Position the vodka in a spot that's neither too warm nor too chilly, and let it infuse for 2 weeks. Gently turn and shake the bottle once a day. After 2 weeks, taste the aquavit; extend the infusion time if needed.
  6. Strain the aquavit through a fine-mesh sieve into a large liquid measuring cup. Discard the solids, transfer the strained aquavit into a clean bottle, and store it in the freezer. And voilà, you've got homemade aquavit ready for a taste adventure!
  7. The array of spices for the infusion includes caraway seeds, fennel seeds, crushed cardamom pods, and whole cloves.
  8. In the process of making aquavit, the lemon and orange peels, along with the toasted spices, are added to the bottle of vodka.
  9. Before adding the spices, approximately 2 tablespoons of vodka should be discarded from the bottle.
  10. After 2 weeks of infusing, the aquavit may need to be infused for an additional time if the taste isn't satisfactory.

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