
The Angelica
White wine spritz with angelica root, thyme, and honey — Iceland's medicinal herb since the sagas
Angelica archangelica has been foraged, worn, and brewed in Iceland since the settlement era.
Why this cocktail? Iceland's oldest herb — worn since the sagas — poured as a spritz.
The Story
Angelica is Iceland's oldest medicine and its oldest garnish — a herb Icelanders wore as garlands, chewed for winter, and mentioned in the Grágás law codes. A dry white wine spritz infused with angelica root, thyme, and a spoon of honey is the closest a glass can come to a saga: quiet, medicinal, and much older than the room it is served in.
Read Full Story →Ingredients
- 3 oz dry white wine (a mineral Riesling or Grüner)
- 1 oz sparkling water
- 0.5 oz angelica-thyme honey syrup (steep angelica root and thyme in warm honey, thin with water)
- Fresh thyme sprig
Preparation
- 1.Combine wine and angelica-thyme honey syrup in a wine glass with ice.
- 2.Top with sparkling water; stir once.
- 3.Garnish with a thyme sprig.
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