Saft is a sweet and fruity juice concentrate popular in Sweden, made by cooking fruit and straining the pulp. It can be mixed with water, carbonated water, or spirits and comes in a variety of flavors. Saft can be found in Swedish markets or ordered online.
In many Scandinavian languages, saft is simply the word for juice, but in Sweden, “saft” has acquired a special meaning. It is used specifically to refer to a very sweet and fruity juice concentrate, which is mixed with water and ice to create refreshing cool drinks. Many Swedish markets sell saft in a variety of flavors for you to mix your juices to taste, and it’s also possible to make saft at home. The trend has spread to some other Scandinavian nations and communities, making saft not uncommon in many regions of the world.
The word is taken directly from Middle High German. Incidentally, the same root word is also responsible for “zaftig,” as in “chubby and curvy.” The usage of the word can be a bit confusing, as it is generic for juice in some regions of the world and refers specifically to concentrates in others. If you’re unsure, you might want to ask, to make sure you don’t end up buying a bottle of the intensely sweet concentrate for a picnic when you want the juice, for example.
Many safes are made with berries like cranberries, along with floral products like elderflower and rose hips. You can also find fruit safes, especially citrus safts such as orange or lime safts. In most cases, saft is made by cooking the fruit to become pulpy and produce its own juice, then straining the pulp to produce a rich concentrate that can be sweetened, depending on personal taste.
Many people find saft quite enjoyable and a nice alternative to the clutter of large jugs of juice concentrate, as it comes in large jars designed to make it easy to mix individual servings of juice. In addition to being mixed with plain water, saft can be mixed with carbonated water for a fizzy fruity drink or with spirits such as champagne. Some people also mix different types of saft to create a specific flavor combination.
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with a large Swedish community, you’ll probably be able to find saft in traditional flavors like cranberry and elderflower. If you’re not so lucky, you may be able to track down an import store that carries saft, and you can also order it online through Swedish specialty retailers, as well as directly from the companies that make it.
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