Bloody Maja

Makes 6 drinks

Aquavit is the leading spirit in the Scandinavian countries, and like vodka it’s distilled most often from potatoes or grain. But unlike vodka it is always flavored, with caraway and dill being the primary spices, although some brands also include cumin and fennel. The fresh dill in this libation plays beautifully off the spices in the base.

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

2½ cups tomato juice

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons prepared white horseradish

1 tablespoon celery bitters

⅓ cup finely chopped fresh dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons celery salt for rimming the glasses (optional)

9 to 12 ounces aquavit

SUGGESTED GARNISHES:

Fennel stalks with fronds attached

Skewers with pinwheels of gravlax or smoked salmon

Lemon wedges

Place the fennel seeds and caraway seeds in a small, dry skillet and toast them for 2 minutes, or until fragrant and turning brown. Crush the seeds in a spice grinder, in a pepper grinder, or with a mortar and pestle.

Combine the ground seeds, tomato juice, lemon juice, horseradish, celery bitters, and dill in a pitcher and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and chill well.

Rim 6 (12-ounce) glasses with celery salt, if desired, following the instructions here.

Pour 4 ounces (½ cup) of the mix into a pint glass, add 1½ to 2 ounces of the aquavit, and fill the glass completely with ice. Roll the drink between 2 pint glasses to mix and chill for individual servings (see here), or pour the aquavit and mix into a pitcher filled with ice and stir well with a long-handled spoon.

Strain the drink into a rimmed glass using a funnel to avoid wetting the rim. Add ice cubes, and garnish each drink with a fennel stalk and a skewer of gravlax and rest a lemon wedge on the rim of the glass. Serve immediately.

Note: The mix can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.

highball