Now It Can Be Told

OK, our issue is out the door and in subscribers' hands, so I can get on with talking a bit more about Kelley's Autumn Sunset cocktail, one of the three drinks we commissioned for our magazine (see the earlier posting "Kelley's Concoctions". . . as well as the image of all three cocktails at upper left).

We had asked Kelley to use a Northwest spirit, which was the basic idea behind the three cocktails we were featuring on our cover. He fiddled with some favorites, and settled on the toughest local spirit I can think of: aquavit.

Portland distillers Lee Medoff and Christian Krogstad make up House Spirits Distillery. Their products are damn good in my mouth, and partly because they tend to be bold. Their Krogstad Aquavit is just that: bold with the flavor of caraway and herbs . . . a difficult base upon which to build a cocktail!

Aquavit is a traditional Scandinavian beverage often consumed with a meal, and particularly favored around Christmas. It is not particularly popular in America . . . the Krogstad Aquavit may be the only purely American-made and authentically-styled aquavit on the market.) The predominant flavor is caraway, and plenty of it—a minimum of 5% in European products. It can be aged in casks to acquire depth and color, or presented as a perfectly clear and somewhat daring shot. In fact, many people drink their aquavit ice cold as a fast shot. Me, I prefer to sip mine.

But Kelley mixed it. To the aquavit base he added the sweetness of Cointreau and the bitterness of amaro. He added two dashes of his house made bitters as well.

The result is a deliciously unctuous cocktail with a distinct herbal edge, lightly sweet, and with a bit of a kick.

When my wife first tasted the drink she said it should be called the Elke Sommer after the Scandinavian sexpot of the Sixties. The drink was sultry like Elke, and Scandinavian to boot. Kelley . . . who is of a younger generation, was not aware of Elke's allure for males of my generation, but he did comment that he liked the edgy aspect of the name.

But, Autumn Sunset won out for Northwest Palate readers. And to look at the drink, you can see why it was given that name: it is a rich hue of warm auburn-to-mahogany color, with a golden glint. Just like a fall sunset in the great Northwest.

If you want to impress Kelley, go into the bar and ask for an Autumn Sunset (it is not on ten 01's drinks menu)! Or better yet go get the ingredients and make one for yourself . . .