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| Gromit’s specially infused vodkas feature, among many crazy ingredients, pine tree shoots, lavender and cognac, parsley root, fennel, vanilla, smoked leek, rose petals and organic lemons. |
But at Copenhagen’s Fox Kitchen & Bar, these plant-infused vodkas complement the restaurant’s hip, health-conscious menu. And hip, health-conscious Copenhageners – plus a few of us curious visitors – are crazy for these unusual concoctions.
Infused vodkas are nothing new – look no further than behind Brett Duwe and Matt Duncan to find orange, lemon, raspberry and other Absolut fruit flavors lining the bar shelves.
But vodka infused with pine tree shoots? Rose petals? Smoked leeks?
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| The two-year-old Fox Kitchen & Bar attracts the hip, young Copenhagen crowd for drinks and dinner. |
Mrs. Parsley and I met Gromit behind his bar inside the funky Fox Hotel during our vacation this past week in Copenhagen. The hotel is owned by Volkswagen – yep, the car people. Its 61 rooms are individually designed and decorated by hip and hot artists, illustrators and graphic designers.
Even more hip and hot is the restaurant/bar section concept, which Gromit designed based on a wine-pairing dinner he experienced years ago. “I remembered a wine menu, the waiter’s fantastic pairing abilities and the effect it had on that night out,” he recalls. “I've been to many restaurants for dinner, but that one night still sticks out. I wanted to create that experience with my own cocktail skills.”
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| What do you serve with mackerel in cucumber foam, crab, pumpkin soup and a tiny pumpkin cracker? A beetroot-infused vodka cocktail, of course! |
The appetizer served the evening Mrs. P and I were there consisted of a dollop of mackerel in cucumber foam, a smaller dollop of crab, a few sips of pumpkin soup and a little pumpkin cracker. I’m convinced, by the way, that these tiny portion sizes – plus all that bicycling everywhere – add up to the slenderness and good looks of the Danes.
But there’s nothing slender about the accompanying cocktails. Gromit whipped up a vodka combination infused with beetroot juice to go with the presentation. I am not a beet fan. But marinade a bunch of them in alcohol, and I’ve found a new way to get my daily allowance of vitamin C after all! (In fact, serve it with smørrebrød, and I’ll never leave the restaurant!)
While the novelty of the unusual infusions is certainly an attraction, it’s the staff, music and vibe that add up to the fun atmosphere of Fox Kitchen & Bar. “Get them right, and you have a great bar,” Gromit says.
Gromit himself is certainly vital to the mix. He came to Copenhagen from England to marry a Danish woman. And his friendliness and sense of humor translate well in any culture.
“I love to party from either side of the bar,” Gromit says. “I love spirits, the history of spirits, the flavors and the skill that goes into making them. It has been known once in a while after work that I do sample a little of the products we work with.”
So drink your veggies! It’s good for your health!
Gromit’s Organic Lemon-Infused Cocktail
Not all of Gromit’s infusion ingredients come from the ground. Here’s his Organic Lemon Vodka Cocktail recipe:
Step 1: Remove all the bitter whiteness from the lemon peels, and pop the peels in vodka. Let them marinade for seven days. At the end of the week, you’ve got your infused vodka.
Step 2: “Muddle” together, as Gromit says, lemons and mint with a “muddler stick.”
Step 3: Pour in 2 oz. of your newly infused vodka, along with 2 oz. of Dandelion and Burdock Cordial and a dash of Fee Brothers Bitters.
Step 4: Shake with “dry” ice, meaning ice that’s not melted. Strain onto crushed ice and garnish.
Step 5: Sip and repeat.
Fox Kitchen & Bar
Jarmers Plads 3
Copenhagen
hotelfox.dk
