St. Knut’s Day

St. Knut’s Day is a Scandinavian holiday that traditionally heralds the end of the Christmas season. In Sweden, it’s celebrated by taking down the Christmas tree. Practical, yes – but we much prefer the old Finnish tradition of Nuuttipukki, where young folks dress as goats and go door-to-door demanding treats and leftover alcohol.
Our neighbors are not nearly as hospitable as the Finns, so we’ll content ourselves with this gorgeous sparkling cocktail from Dave Shenaut at Raven & Rose in Portland. It features the crisp caraway flavor of aquavit, sweetened with honey and lemon and kept light with a topper of prosecco (or any sparkling white wine you prefer).

Ingredients
- 1 part Aquavit
- ¾ part Lemon juice
- ½ part Honey syrup
- 2 dashes Creole bitters or Aromatic bitters
- 3 parts Sparkling white wine
Instructions
Shake everything (except the sparkling wine) with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass and top with the sparkling wine. Garnish with a whole star anise pod and a lemon twist.


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- Aquavit Cocktail: St. Knut’s Day at Imbibe
