December 28, 2010

The things you will drink

Tradition holds that every Christmas, we break open a bottle (or two) of ice cold aquavit with dinner. Being Norwegian, my mother prefers Linie Aquavit.
Aquavit is distilled potato spirits infused with herbs, most notably caraway, anise, and dill. It is then put into casks and stored on a ship that basically goes around the world, but most importantly crosses the equator twice. (Hence the name Linie which means Line.)
Instructions for drinking are as follows:
Traditionally, Linie Aquavit is drunk as a chaser with beer. While some people knock it all back in one go, others prefer to enjoy it in small sips. Anyhow, the aquavit should be drunk after the beer and not vice-versa, so that its delicate taste can linger in the mouth for a bit. Most Norwegians find that the subtle flavour of Linie Aquavit is best appreciated when the product is served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
This is a lie. You need the beer to kill the taste of the aquavit. Coke, Pepsi, and red wine also work. The "flavours" are not subtle. They are similar to a mixture of kerosene and 120-proof potato vodka.

The website claims, "...every mouthful of Linie Aquavit contains traces of its voyage." What they don't mention is that it's probably in the form of sailors' urine.

1 comment:

Bente V said...

OK, some comments are necessary here: First off, Linie Akevitt is the only akevitt you get in the US, maybe explaining Birgit's preference. This is a shame since there are several much better ones available, notably Gammel Oplandsk (check with Kim), Gilde Juleakevitt, Gilds Maquevit, and Egge Gård. None of these flavors are anything near kerosene; they are smoothe and almost creamy with pleasent after tastes. Secondly, all my friends definitely store the bottle in the freezer and drink it ice cold. When you come here we'll give you a taste of GOOD akevitt!