Swedish Gooseberry and Elderflower Cooler with Aquavit and Fresh Lime

Combine the gooseberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh gooseberries, topped and tailed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 oz aquavit
• 3 tablespoons elderflower cordial
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 cup chilled sparkling water
• Crushed ice
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
• Lime wheels, for garnish
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine the gooseberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, pressing the berries against the side of the pan, until they burst and the syrup turns cloudy and pale green.
3. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing hard on the solids to extract every bit of juice, then discard the skins. You should have about 1 cup of gooseberry syrup.
4. Chill the syrup thoroughly, at least 2 hours or until completely cold. It will thicken slightly as it sets.
5. Set a small handful of the prettiest raw berries aside before cooking if you want them for garnish; otherwise a lime wheel does the job on its own.
6. In a pitcher, stir together the chilled gooseberry syrup, aquavit, elderflower cordial and lime juice until well combined.
7. Fill four tall glasses with crushed ice, pour the mixture over, and top each with sparkling water. Stir once, gently.
8. Garnish with mint, a lime wheel and a couple of berries on a pick, and serve immediately while the drink is bracingly cold.
9. Gooseberries — krusbär — are one of those Nordic garden fruits that never quite made it into the global pantry, which is a shame, because their sharp green acidity behaves like a cross between rhubarb and unripe grape. Swedes cook them into cordials and pies through the short late-summer window when the bushes are heavy. Paired with caraway-scented aquavit and a splash of elderflower, they make a cooler that tastes like the end of August in a Stockholm garden: herbal, tart and just barely sweet.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 230 kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 28g
• Sodium: 45mg