A flower wreath for summer celebrations is meant to symbolize rebirth and the abundance of the earth after the long Nordic winter. The solstice is also a time to gather medicinal herbs, notably St. John’s wort, which has yellow blossoms that evoke the summer sun.
The Wildflower Negroni, a riff on the classic White Negroni, makes the most of flowers and herbs, as it gilds the botanicals found in gin with a quick tea-based infusion. A version of the drink appears in Spirit of the North, a Scandinavian-inspired cocktail book written by Danish native Selma Slabiak, a bartender in Queens, New York. She recommends a gin that has floral notes like the rose petal-infused Dorothy Parker Gin.
Adapted from Spirit of the North: Cocktail Recipes and Stories from Scandinavia (teNeues Publishing Company, 2018), by Selma Slabiak
Last Updated: June 1, 2023
Ingredients
Directions
In mixing glass, stir all ingredients, except garnish, with ice. Strain into rocks glass over single large ice cube. Garnish with edible flower.
*Wildflower-infused gin
Immerse 2 bags herbal tea (preferably a blend that features flowers like jasmine, lavender, hibiscus, rose or chamomile) in ½ cup hot water for 10–15 seconds. Remove tea bags, squeeze gently to release excess water, then place bags in 1 cup gin. Let steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, and squeeze gently to release excess gin. In airtight container, this will keep indefinitely. Makes about 8 ounces.
