aquavit

Name: Aquavit
Prep time: 15 min
Yield: 750
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Ingredients: 2 teaspoon(s) caraway seeds; 2 teaspoon(s) fennel seeds; 2 - cardamom pods, crushed; 2 - whole cloves; 1 medium lemon, rinsed and dried; 1 medium orange, rinsed and dried; 1 bottle(s) (750 ml) bottle vodka (pick a drinkable brand); 1 teaspoon(s) granulated sugar

2 Pinches

Stacy Goodall

Updated on Aug 20, 2017

I first had aquavit on Xmas Eve in Norway with my distant cousins! Served in my family as shots! Anytime someone yelled "skoll", you had to "shoot" the aquavit in one gulp! Love those family traditions! I've never mixed the Aquavit with mixer, not sure if that is frowned on...but I think their is potential to make a cocktail that will honor this strong, warming liquor! (cook time does not include 2 weeks of infusing).

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prep time 15 Min

cook time

method No-Cook or Other

yield 750 mil

Ingredients

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 bottle (750 ml) bottle vodka (pick a drinkable brand)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

How To Make aquavit

Step 1

Toast caraway, fennel, cardamom, and cloves in a small frying pan over medium heat. Shake occasionally until fragrant, around 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 2

Use a vegetable peeler to remove a quarter of the peel from both the lemon and orange. Avoid removing the white pith; set the peels aside.
Step 3

Remove about 2 tablespoons of the vodka from the bottle. Either drink it or discard it. I say drink it!
Step 4

Place the toasted spices, lemon and orange peels, and sugar into the bottle with the vodka. Cover tightly.
Step 5

Let the vodka infuse at room temperature (choose a spot that is neither too warm nor too cold) for about 2 weeks. Turn and gently shaking the bottle once a day. After 2 weeks, taste the aquavit; let it stand longer as needed.
Step 6

Strain the aquavit through a fine-mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup; discard the solids. Transfer the strained aquavit to a clean bottle with a tightfitting lid and store it in the freezer.
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