Summer in a Bottle

Or: How to drink the farmers' market.

Last week, I came home from an inspiring trip to Copenhagen…with Covidhagen. Still high on the (re)connections made at the MAD food symposium (perhaps I caught the Nomavirus?), I somehow made it to the farmers’ market to mark the beginning of summer with my favorite yearly ritual: making syrups and shrubs.

A few jars of these in your fridge will get you (and your kids) through to August. (Make extra for friends.) Add 2 to 3 tablespoons to seltzer, or experiment with adding gin, sherry or vermouth and topping off with tonic.

Peony Syrup
Upstate during the pandemic, I was extra devastated when the June peonies dropped their petals. Trying to find a way to preserve them, I found this recipe from ButterKup Flowers. It really is magic.

3 or 4 unsprated peony blooms

3 cups water

3 cups organic sugar (approximately)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

While you bring the water to a boil, remove the petals from the flowers and place in a large, heatproof bowl, avoiding any pollen stamens or leaves. Pour the boiling water over the petals and cover with a plate. Let sit overnight. It will look and smell disgusting, but keep going.

The next day, pour the water into a large measuring pitcher or bowl, making sure you squeeze all of the liquid from the petals. Discard the petals and measure the water. In a medium saucepan, add the peony water and the exact same amount of sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let cool.

Once cool, stir in the lemon juice and marvel: The liquid will turn bright pink. Pour into bottles or jars and keep in the refrigerator for a few months. Delicious with seltzer…or sparkling wine.

Rhubarb Shrub
This is my take on Bon Appétit’s recipe. You can do it with whatever fruit is ripe at the moment. Right now, I also have blackberry-tarragon shrub going (made with apple cider vinegar). Come July, there might be some peach-basil among the jars.

2 cups rhubarb, sliced 1” thick, from about 4 stalks

1 cup organic sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

3 sprigs mint

1 cup red wine, sherry or apple cider vinegar

Combine the sugar and salt in a small bowl. Clap the mint between your hands a few times, then pick off the leaves. In a 1-quart jar or plastic container, layer the sugar, rhubarb and mint. Seal and turn the jar over a few times to distribute. Leave it on the counter for a few hours, turning it when you walk by, until the sugar starts to dissolve and juices pool. Refrigerate overnight.

24 hours after you started, add the vinegar and stir to dissolve the sugar. (I like red wine or even sherry vinegar; ACV is good, too — or try a 50-50 mix.) Leave out at room temp for a few hours, then taste to see if it needs more vinegar — up to ¼ cup. Put back in the fridge and let it go for 1 or 2 more days to let the flavors develop. Strain, reserving the rhubarb “pickles” for snacking and garnishing, in that order. Will keep refrigerated for several months.

Chamomile Lemon Syrup
After tasting a chamomile lemon soda at Copenhagen’s Studio X Kitchen, I had to find a recipe. This comes very close! Would also be delicious with some sherry… Double the recipe so you can give some to friends.

1 cup organic sugar

1 cup water

½ cup fresh chamomile flowers (or 4 tea bags)

Zest of 1 scrubbed lemon

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar, return to a brisk simmer, then turn off the heat. Add the chamomile flowers and lemon zest. Let cool. Pour into a container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, and up to 2 days. (Taste every day and see what you think.) Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar. Will keep for up to 1 month.