Drink Your Garden … and Enjoy the Last Sizzling Days of Summertime
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Sipping Your Garden to Celebrate Fall After all of your hard work, you shouldn’t feel guilty if you enjoy the rewards. by Carol Barany for Yakima Valley Master Gardeners e’ve plotted and planted, dug and divided, and pickled and preserved for months on W end. Now that the languid Dog Days have arrived, don’t you wish you could just hang a ‘Gone Fishing’ sign on the garden gate and take a well deserved break? When that’s not possible, the next best thing might be a nap in the shade, with an icy beverage blended Choose the vegetable or fruit from your own garden-grown botanicals. All that combinations that fit your mood. Flavorful produce you’ve been growing can be more CAROL BARANY PHOTO than a salad or sauté. Made with alcohol or not, cool drinks made with just-picked herbs, fruits, and vegetables as Flavorings and garnishes are just what a gardener needs this time of year. So cheers to you! Drink your garden … and enjoy the last sizzling days of summertime. Besides, what else is there to do with all those cucumbers that got away from you and grew into Five pound monsters? 1 Most of these refreshers begin with simple syrups. To make one, combine equal parts sugar and water (try one cup of each at First) and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add fresh, clean herbs (start with at least ¼ cup and adjust to your taste) and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep until cool. Strain the syrup and use immediately, or store it in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed jar for two to three weeks. Some say adding a splash of vodka to the Finished syrup will keep it fresher longer. Basil, rosemary, lavender, tarragon, and mints of all kinds make fabulous syrups, or try combining them for your own signature blend. Then concoct your own garden-inspired cocktails by mixing herbal simple syrups with your favorite spirit, such as vodka, gin, or rum. Adding lemon or lime juice is conventional, but why not try juices made with seasonal fruits, like peaches or melons? Top each glass with club soda and add a fresh garnish. Watermelon-Basil Mojito (enough for 6) 1 ½ cups rum 1 ½ cups freshly-squeezed watermelon (or other fruit) juice ½ – ¾ cup freshly-squeezed lime juice ½ cup basil simple syrup (made from ½ c. water, ½ c. sugar, and a handful of basil leaves) club soda In a quart-sized jar, combine the simple syrup, rum, lime juice, and your fruit juice of choice (purée very ripe fruit and press through a strainer, or use a juicer). Keep refrigerated. At party time, pour about a half-cup into a glass over crushed ice. Add an equal amount of club soda, and make a taste test, adding or subtracting any ingredient until it’s perfect. On a hot night, can you think of anything better than a container of your own garden-fresh makings for mojitos? Be prepared to mix more. Even the friends who usually swear off ‘pink umbrella’ drinks 2 may ask for seconds. Under the inFluence of the Dog Star, anything’s possible. Cucumber-Basil Gimlet I’ve been making pickles for decades, but honestly, the Cucumber Basil Gimlet, First mixed for me by my friend Becky, is possibly the best use of cucumbers ever. If you’ve never seen cucumber juice before, prepare to be dazzled by its luscious green color. 1 C. sugar 1 C. water 10 fresh, clean basil leaves 2-3 large cucumbers (the bigger and more overripe, the better) Gin Lime juice Crushed ice Combine the water, sugar, and basil and make a simple syrup. Strain out the basil after the syrup cools and refrigerate. Chunk the cucumbers, and pulse them in a food processor or blender until completely puréed. Place the purée in a Fine mesh strainer over another bowl, and push out the juice. Refrigerate the juice and compost the solids. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 oz. of basil simple syrup, 1 oz. cucumber juice, 3 oz. gin, 1 oz. of lime juice and a cup of crushed ice. Shake it up and take a taste. If it's too strong, add more simple syrup or lime juice. Shake again and serve over ice. Garnish with a cucumber spear or basil sprig. Watermelon Lemonade 6 cups 1-inch cubed seedless watermelon (from about a 5-pound melon) 6 cups cold water 1 ½ cups lemon juice ¾ cups sugar Crushed ice Mint sprigs for garnish 3 Working in batches, purée watermelon and lemon juice in blender or food processor until smooth; transfer to a large pitcher. Add the sugar to 6 cups of water and stir until well dissolved. Add to the pitcher. Pour over ice in tall glasses, garnished with mint or thin slices of watermelon. Serves 4. ! 4.