Friday, June 17, 2011

Oh Rosemary!

Ahhh, Summer... Evenings spent on the patio, watching the boys play backyard baseball, swatting the gnats, and smelling the neighbor's barbecue. What better time to enjoy a unique iced beverage.

The beverage of this summer is the Rosemary Citrus Spritzer, made with rosemary from my herb garden. Here is a picture taken on my deck railing and the recipe follows. Happy Summer!



Rosemary Citrus Spritzer
Makes 10-12 drinks


2 lemons
2 oranges
4 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
Ice
Soda water
Rosemary and lemon for garnish (optional)

Peel off thick strips of zest from 1 lemon.

Juice the lemons and oranges into a liquid measuring cup – you should have about 1 cup of juice. Top off with water if necessary to make 1 cup.

Combine zest, juice, rosemary, sugar, and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugars.

Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Strain, discard solids, and let syrup cool completely.

To serve, fill an 8-ounce glass halfway with ice cubes, add 2-3 tablespoons syrup, fill with soda water, and stir. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and/or lemon slices, if desired.

Variations:
• Use 1 cup lemon juice and omit oranges.
• Use 1 cup sugar and omit honey.
• Add a splash of gin or vodka to the glass.

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