LINCOLN SQUARE — Hey Cool-Ade!
This Fourth of July holiday weekend punch up your picnics, brunches and cookouts with homemade drinks — with or without booze — infused with natural herbs, spices and extracts.
Beverages are the latest culinary frontier for restaurants and home cooks alike, according to David Trout, general manager of Savory Spice Shop, 4753 N. Lincoln Ave.
"Bar programs are increasingly using all kinds of herbs ... to complement the flavors of the spirits," said Trout, adding that neighboring pub The Grafton frequently buys ingredients from the shop.
The two businesses have teamed up on a pair of spice and spirits classes, both of which filled to capacity.
"What I've learned about Lincoln Square is if you have a class that features booze, people will show up," Trout said.
Nonalcoholic options, like the shop's Homemade Cool-Ade recipe, allow people to control the amount of sugar in their drinks, as well as mix and match flavors.
Savory Spice Shop has a searchable database of drink recipes. Trout suggested some of his favorites.
RECIPES
Homemade Cool-Ade
- 2 quarts water (use half seltzer water or club soda for fizzy drink)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. citric acid
- ½ tbsp. natural raspberry extract
- ½ tbsp. pure key lime extract
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir until sugar and citric acid are dissolved. Serve over ice with fresh fruit. Yields four servings.
Hibiscus Tea (Agua de Jamaica)
- 1½ cups of hibiscus flowers
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup honey powder
Boil 1 gallon of water. Reduce heat and add hibiscus flowers. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out hibiscus flowers through cheesecloth. Add honey powder to taste for desired sweetness. Cool and serve over ice. Yields 16 8-ounce servings.
Provence Punch
- 1 cup Herbes de Provence Simple Syrup (click here for recipe)
- 1 bottle Lillet (a French aperitif wine; white wine or white grape juice can be used as a substitute)
- 2 oranges, 1 juiced and 1 thinly sliced
- 2 lemons, 1 juiced and 1 thinly sliced
Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher and chill. Serve over ice, making sure to get slices of lemon and orange in each glass. Top with club soda or seltzer water for a slightly fizzy drink. Yields four servings.
Lemon Ginger Moonshine
- 2 cups lemonade
- ¼ cup honey powder
- 2 tbsp. lemongrass
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ cup moonshine (vodka or white whiskey can be used as a substitute)
Whisk together lemonade and honey powder in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add lemongrass and ginger and simmer for about five minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Strain into a two-cup sealable jar and stir in moonshine. It’s ready to sip right away, but gets better after a couple of weeks. Yields two cups
Serving suggestions: Pour small servings from the jar and sip. Or mix with ice and soda water for a refreshing cocktail.
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