Oh summer, where would we be without great refreshing beverages? Today I am going to share several beverage recipes from a book called Handmade Gatherings by Ashley English.
This book is a bit over the top for my taste with most of the recipes and ideas for making a great party and how to set them up, but there are some fantastic craft ideas, desserts, and beverages you can savor. This little ditty sort of screams Pacific Northwest Hipster Party to me. Alas, that was my dream once upon a decade ago and let me tell you those folks throw fab parties. I have been to a few....who could resist a Velvet Brunch? (Everyone wears velvet, brings a dish to pass, and all the Mimosas your gut can handle). I digress.
Bourbon Iced Tea
4 cups water (for simple syrup)
2 cups sugar
4 cups cold water (to cool the syrup)
8 cups strong black tea, cooled
4 cups bourbon
Juice of 6 lemons
4 cups ice, plus more to serve
A peach wedge or mint leaf for each glass
Warm 4 cups of water in a medium pot over medium low heat until hot to the touch. Mix in the sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Add 4 cups of cold water to make simple syrup. Stir to combine.
Mix the cooled syrup and steeped tea in a large container. Add the bourbon, lemon juice, and ice. Stir to combine. Serve in 1/2 pint mason jars over ice with a wedge of peach or sprig of mint.
Plum Liqueur (make now enjoy in the winter)
2.5 pounds plums, quartered (you may also use apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, or pluots)
2.5 cups sugar
2.5 cups vodka
Fill 5 1-pint jars about two thirds full with the quartered fruit. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup vodka to each jar. You can spice your liqueur up by adding a few whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, black peppercorns, allspice berries or cardamom pods.
Shake to combine. Store liqueur in a dark, room-temperature location for 90 days. Shake the jar daily for the first week, then once weekly for the remainder.
After 90 days, strain the liqueur through a double layer coffee filter. Discard the fruit pieces. Use a funnel to transfer the liqueur to a sterilized glass bottle. Consume within a year.
For those of you who do NOT partake in alcoholic beverages, here are a few recipes for you:
Honey and Lavender Lemonade
1.5 cups honey
6 cups water
2 T dried lavender buds (or 3 T fresh)
1.75 cups lemon juice
Ice cubes
Lemon slices for each glass
Lavender sprigs for each glass (optional)
Combine the honey and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling, stirring to dissolve the honey into the water. Remove saucepan from the heat. Stir in lavender buds and cover. Let stand for 1 hour. Strain the honey lavender syrup and discard the buds.
Pour the syrup into a large pitcher. Add the lemon juice and stir. For every gallon your pitcher will hold, add 5 cups of water. Stir to combine. When ready to serve, add ice, lemon slices and lavender.
Root Beer
4 cups water
2 T chopped fresh ginger
1 T chopped dried sarsaparilla root
1 T chopped dried sassafras root
1/2 T chopped dried licorice root
1/2 T chopped dried burdock root
1/2 T dried wintergreen leaves
3 Star Anise
4 cups brown sugar
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and spices. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the brown sugar, stirring until it fully dissolves. Remove the sauce pan from the heat, cover with a lid and cool to room temperature for 2 hours.
Strain the liquid from the solids through a fine mesh sieve into a bottle or jar. Label, cover with a lid, and store in the refrigerator. Use within 6 months.
To serve, place 2-3 T of syrup in a 12 ounce glass. Top the syrup off with sparkling water and ice. Add more syrup if you like it sweet.
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