Long lazy lunches muster up scenes of endless conversation buoyed by food and drink that compliment each other seamlessly. After a busy week at work there is something so soothing to the soul about spending time cooking favourite dishes to be shared with friends around the family table.
Good food walks hand in hand with liquid refreshment, some beautiful fresh juices and good organic wines to puncture the meal. In Scandinavia, schnapps has a long tradition at the table, therefore what better than homemade schnapps to accompany each course and how easy it is to make your own. It is a wonderfully personal touch to be able to offer your guests homemade schnapps with their meal.
Schnapps is actually incredibly straightforward to make, as long as you have the right equipment. It requires a clear spirit such as 40% vodka for the base and a thoroughly clean bottle for storage. Once you have these in place the fun can begin. It’s time to choose your flavour.
Here your options are almost endless and entirely dependent on your tastebuds. We recommend trying locally sourced ingredients, for us this was Bog myrtle, St John’s Wort, Green Walnut or for a truly different flavour, blackthorn. For those with a sweeter tongue, berries work brilliantly and very helpfully are abundant in the summer forests. Look out for wild raspberry, strawberry and blackberry for the essence of late summer in a bottle.
Look out too for the exiting herbs that can be found at specialist suppliers, I am particularly interested to try some of the mint variations I saw recently in Torvehallen. Pineapple, chocolate, strawberry mint could lend them selves perfectly to task.
Depending on your choice of ingredient your schnapps will be ready for tasting within days, meaning it need only be a small matter of time before inviting friends to lunch to taste your wonderful creations if you are willing to share. Prepare to feel proud.
(SMcW)
(SMcW)
