simple syrup

Thirsty Thursday: Blackberry Margaritas

April 25, 2013

So it seems fitting that I get through the entire winter without being sick and now… bam! I think it had really been well over 1 year and half since I had a cold and now all my good luck has caught up with me.

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Thirsty Thursday: Strawberry Fizz

April 4, 2013

It’s spring so it should be warm, right? Well, here in spring in Boston is confused. It has been all over the place with day time temps in the high 50’s and then right back down to the low 30’s with even colder wind chills. It’s a never ending roller coaster. I’d like it to just settle out but it’s New England … who am I kidding!?!?

I’d like it to get warm ASAP so we can continue to work in our little yard in back. Price kicked some major as back there this past weekend attacking a very invasive weed we have and I’d like to keep things going on the clean up and set up work. I just can’t wait to get some flowers and plants! I am looking forward to getting another blueberry bush this year and trying out some strawberry plants for the first time. Thinking all about these berries has resulted in me making this whole month’s Thirsty Thursday posts all about berries. First up… strawberries!

I was trying to come up with a drink that uses strawberries and that would be great to enjoy while gardening. I love Strawberry Daiquiri but they are not really great for sipping while pulling weeds. They are better suited for lazy beach days. I wanted something that would be really refreshing. Well, when I saw this Strawberry Fizz when I was browsing around Pinterest and I was smitten. check the site… get it? okay, good.

This is so refreshing that I just loved it so much. I love mojitos so it reminded me of a jazzed up mojito. Except virgin. Well you can fix that situation yourself with some vodka or light rum. Spiked or not you’ll be reaching for Strawberry Fizz.

Strawberry Fizz

Makes 4 drinks

Ingredients

1 liter sparkling seltzer water
1 pint strawberries, sliced
16 mint leaves
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
1 cup simple syrup

Process

Put 1/4 cup of simple syrup in each glass and 4 mint leaves, muddle the leaves.
Add 1/4 of the strawberries to each glass and muddle as well.
Squeeze the juice of 2 lemon wedges and then toss the lemon into the glass as well.
Add ice and about 8 ounces of seltzer to each glass. Stir and enjoy!

Adapted from Smitten Foodie

Honeydew Melon Sorbet

July 17, 2012

When I was growing up I would remember my dad eating melons (typically cantalope and honeydew) at night. He would cut them and throughout the week would eat the pieces slowly, one at a time, with a toothpick while watching TV. I think that has led to my love of melons, specifically honeydew melons.

Since it has a roasty, toasty summer I have been trying to keep cool all the time so that I don’t hate my favorite season. I sure would love to eat ice cream all the time but that is just not going to happen so I have been loving mixing up sorbets. My newest favorite is honeydew sorbet. Bliss on a hot, steamy night.

Honeydew melon sorbet lets the flavors of the honeydew melon shine through. The simple syrup just sweetens and brightens up the natural flavors. I like to add a bit of lime or lemon to mellow out that sweetness and enhance the flavors as well, similar to adding a bit of salt to a tomato. It just works! To keep with the citrus flavors, I like to garnish the melon with a bit of lemon verbena instead of mint. Dig in and cool off!

Honeydew Melon Sorbet

serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup of simple syrup
approximately 1/2 a honeydew melon, depending on size
juice of 1 lime

Process

Cut the honeydew into small pieces. Blend the honeydew until it a very smooth consisency. Blend the melon until you have 3 cups of puree.
Add the simple syrup and juice of the lime to the3 cups of puree and blend to combine the ingredients.
Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Pour the honeydew puree mixture into your frozen ice cream make bowl and follow your ice cream maker’s directions to process the sorbet.