Raspberry Acetosa Mojito

Author Notes

I found this curious and rather vaguely described recipe for "Raspberry Acetosa" in Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well (1891). It’s an unusual recipe based on a framboise or raspberry syrup base but instead of the addition of citric acid, a dash of very good red wine vinegar is added. I say it’s vaguely described because, in his typical manner, Artusi has forgotten to give doses for the fruit in proportion to sugar and water. That, and his instructions for adding vinegar are based along the lines of “taste it and see,” which is part of what I love about this quirky historical cookbook author.

So, this is my interpretation of Artusi’s Acetosa (I ended up going with equal amounts of fruit to sugar). It is a refreshing syrup, and that little kick of vinegar makes it the perfect base for unique summer cocktails or drizzled over ice cream or crepes. Really, the options are endless.

For this recipe, I chose to go with a version of a mojito. I have to credit my husband, Marco, for the cocktail idea, he has worked as a barman in some of Florence’s best bars (such as the Four Seasons) and is my cocktail guru!

Note: in the recipe below, I have accounted for enough Acetosa to make the following drinks. It can easily be doubled or tripled to make a larger supply so you can use it anything and everything.
- Emiko —Emiko

Test Kitchen Notes

We love any drink you make the right in the glass (though we admit we used a mortar and pestle because we were serving it in delicate tumblers). Emiko's elegant cocktail brings a pleasant sting from the red wine vinegar, which is a perfect match for the sweet raspberries and keeps the syrup (acetosa) from being cloying. Fresh whole lemon pieces, plenty of rum, a splash of soda and a pretty basil leaf are the finishing touches to this refreshing summer drink. - A&M —The Editors