Daily Loaf

(Part 2 of our Smorgasbord: IKEA series.)

Lingonberry and elderberry syrups take up a lot of space on the IKEA grocery shelves, for good reason. The tart, cranberry-like flavor of lingonberries is perfect when dropped into a glass of sparkling water, while the elderberry will produce a more fragrant, softer spritzer that’s sweeter and more delicate. Both are also incredible ingredients for cocktails. IKEA’s lingonberry syrup is powerful stuff, so works best with bland liquor like vodka, while elderberry’s subtle herbacious, floral perfume works best with gin (and some gins use elderberry as one of the botanicals that give that British quaff its flavor).

Experiment, but here are a few recipes to get you started at your next Swedish-themed happy hour or crayfish party:

The Allen Wrench
1 part lingonberry syrup
1 part vodka
Squeeze of lime
Soda water
This is a simple, refreshing quaff suitable for quenching the mighty thirst and incipient frustration that results from furniture assembly.

Bergman Royale
3 parts inexpensive Champagne or sparkling wine
1 part elderberry syrup
Like the actress, this cocktail is subtle, multi-faceted and will melt the hearts of even the most grizzled North African nightclub owner.

Seasonal Affective Disorder Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s face it: Italy doesn’t have much of a cocktail culture. In La Dolce Vita, when Marcello hits up a burlesque show with his father, the drinks of choice are champagne and whiskey. No homegrown spirits need apply.

But the Italians have made at least one invaluable contribution to the spirits world: Campari, a shockingly red liqueur made with infused bitter herbs and aromatic plants. Stroll around Venice on any given afternoon (or morning, for that matter) and highball glasses filled to the brim with the ruby-colored liquid are impossible to miss, most often accompanied by the pink sports pages of La Gazzetta Dello Sport and a small glass bowl piled high with potato chips. Few are the pleasures that surpass lazing away in the Venetian sunshine sipping on a spritz, an absolute classic Campari concoction: Read the rest of this entry »