This article was first published in the capital.
Drinks: – I like to use kitchen techniques in my drinks, such as sous vide where ingredients are vacuum packed, and fat washingsays Marika Dipnarova of Avalon in Oslo.
The restaurant opened at the end of November 2021 in one of the latest additions to Ruseløkka, a stone’s throw from Aker Brygge and the new National Museum.
Makes the drink: Bar manager Marika Debnarova at Avalon. Photo: Eivind Yggeseth / Finansavisen
Washing drinks with fat
– Sous vide is also known for cooking at low temperature for a long time, while fat washing It is a technique used by bartenders for infusion where they add some oil or fat to the alcohol. Then the solution is frozen, and the fat is separated due to the different freezing points. And she continued that the taste of the fatty substance remains in the liquid.
Behind Avalon is Mikael Svensson, the mastermind behind the Michelin-starred restaurant Kontrast – also in the capital.
With us, he wanted to make a place where all the food would be dishes that he could make for friends and family at home in his garden. Therefore, our concept is based on barbecue dishes that can be shared.
Then with a focus on Norwegian seafood, as well as European-inspired meat, fish and vegetable dishes with a focus on France, Italy and Spain, among others. Among the drinks, Avalon primarily focuses on wine and champagne, but the venue also has a cocktail menu with eight drinks, all of which go with the food—be it before, during, or after.
I associate the word Avalon with Heaven, Heaven where the soul goes after a person dies. While Mikael associates it with a type of plum, which is his favorite fruit.
Therefore, Marika is trying to create drink names related to Avalon, such as Bliss and Cloud drinks.
One of the most popular cocktails on their menu is Flora, the bartender inspired by one of his favorite among the aromatic ingredients – lavender.
Flora Cocktail is fresh, vibrant and easy to prepare at home. Contains lavender, mint and vegan coconut cream made right here in-house.
She thinks the floral taste of the purple flower works well with mint and coconut, which are also well-known summer flavours.
Drink: Flora from Avalon. Photo: Eivind Yggeseth / Finansavisen
Recipe: Flora
3 cl of homemade lavender and mint syrup
1 cl of fresh lemon juice
4 cl vodka
1 tablespoon coconut cream, preferably vegetarian
Edible flower for decoration.
Homemade lavender and mint syrup
– layer simple drink It consists of equal parts of water and sugar. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and add fresh mint and dried lavender. Let it cool for 20 minutes and filter the coin and lavender. For half a liter of syrup, you need 20 grams of mint and 15 grams of dried lavender.
Pour the lavender and mint syrup into an empty shaker. Add lemon juice, vodka and a tablespoon of coconut cream. Stir them together a little in a blender until the ice cream melts.
Add ice cubes all the way to the edge of the blender and shake until the mixture thickens on the outside – then the drink will likely cool down. Strain over a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an edible flower – these can be purchased at a flower shop.