Rose hips
Rugosa roses are known for producing large orange and red hips (that’s the fruit that contains the seeds) in the fall. The hips are rich in vitamin C and can be made into a liqueur. In fact, Koval Distillery in Chicago sells a rose hip liqueur. Make your own by harvesting fresh rose hips and cutting the woody ends off, then soaking in vodka for two or three months. Strain the vodka and mix with simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar melts and then allowed to cool) until it’s as sweet as you’d like it to be. Then let it sit for another couple of weeks, and...
Read MoreRose
Rose petals are only of use to mixologists if they come from strongly perfumed roses. Look for hybrid teas or heirloom damask roses. Roses generally require full sun, rich soil, regular water, and a well-rounded organic fertilizer. To get the most blooms, you will need to dead-head the plants and prune them once a year. Don’t buy into the idea that they require harsh chemicals to control pests and diseases, however–diseased leaves can simply be cut off and thrown away, and your local garden center or Master Gardener program can help you figure out organic pest control...
Read MoreBlooming Cocktails
Last month I looked at flowers that can be used to decorate cocktails—borage and pansies and the like—but this month, we’ll consider a few flowers that actually flavor drinks. Some of these have been used for centuries to make not just liqueurs, but boozy medicinal potions as well. Elderflower. Cordials and sodas flavored with elderflowers are a very British thing, but it took an American distiller to recognize their potential. Rob Cooper, a third-generation distiller, tasted homemade elderflower syrup in a London bar and decided to create a liqueur from the flowers. The result is...
Read MoreBooks by Amy Stewart
The Drunken Botanist
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