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Lula Harp

~ one girl's journey into cooking, crafting and self discovery

Lula Harp

Tag Archives: simple syrup

lady lavender’s lovely libation

18 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by Lula Harp in cocktails, recipes

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

cocktails, gardening, gin, herbs, lavender, New Deal Distillery, simple syrup, tonic

I raise a glass in honor of the bounty of summer my garden keeps bestowing on me and my 100th follower.

I can’t recall which blogger I was reading lately who said we write these blogs for our readers and our followers.  I’ll agree somewhat.  I am delighted that 100 people out there follow me in their reader and in their in-boxes.  I am honored that people I don’t know take the time to think about what I’ve written and some even then actually make a recipe I’ve talked about.  That’s high praise.  And I thank you.

On the weekends at the distillery we serve mini cocktails.  We make 2 very different, but incredible gins.  Gin #3 is bright and crisp.  Gin #1 is big and round.   This weekend (and next, in case you want stop by) we served a Lavender, Gin #3 & tonic. This drink is quite tasty and perfect for summer since my lavender is in bloom.

There was time, not too long ago that I did not like gin.  A few years ago, I was visiting my mutha and step-father.  He asked who wanted a martini before dinner.  I gleefully chimed in.  I took one sip and was immediately horrified.  Not only was I expecting vodka, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the mass produced gin in a jug they served me.  I just know it was undrinkable.  Really, I poured it down the drain.

When we began our gin experiments, I wasn’t the first to rush and try it out. But our distillers sort of sneak stuff in.  Taste this.  What is it?  Just taste it.  Oooooh that’s tasty.  That’s gin.  The gins that are being produced by the microdistilleries are delicate and balanced unlike the commercial gins, which I find harsh or overly perfumed.

Lavender, Gin #3, and Tonic… dedicated to Sybarite Sauvage for being my 100th.  (kinda makes me sound like a slut 😉 )
3/4 – 1 oz lavender simple syrup
1 1/2- 2 oz Gin #3
Pour over ice in a rocks glass topped with your favorite tonic.

lavender simple syrup
1 cup lavender (leaves, stems & buds rough cut with scissors)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Bring to a boil and let simmer 5ish minutes, remove from heat and let sit another 5 minutes and strain.

enjoy a cocktail on your porch!  and in case you’ve missed some of my other garden cocktails, check here and here.

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sage advice

13 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by Lula Harp in cocktails

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

cocktails, garden, ginger, herbs, sage, simple syrup, vodka, work

I’ve mentioned before I talk to people all day long about the poor decisions they’ve made and how I’m supposed to fix them.  What happened to personal responsibility?!  Because you’ve dinked around and not taken care of xyz, you now want me to rush and expedite this because you need it yesterday.  Too bad, so sad.  You should have done it right the first time.  (have I mentioned- I’m kinda mean)

Most days I can shake off the cooties assholes deposit on my desk.  But there are days like today where asshole after asshole leave a steaming pile of poo in their wake and eventually the stink is too great.

Actually, the bulk of my day was quite good.  It wasn’t until the last 2 hours it went to crap.  While I was on my bus ride home I kept thinking of the glorious cocktails I’d whip up when I got the chance.  That certainly helped things feel better.  But it got really good once I made my little concoction.

my overflowing sage- there’s a wine barrel under there

Once again, calling upon the goodness of my garden, I made a sage simple syrup.  I rough chopped about 1/2 cup fresh sage and add 1 cup each sugar and water. Brought this to a boil and reduced to a simmer for about 5 minutes.  I then let it rest for another 5 minutes (while I let Coe in) off the heat before I strained out the sage.

1 1/2z New Deal Vodka
1/2 Ginger Liqueur
1/2z fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2-1z sage simple syrup
dash Angostura bitters
Shake and pour over fresh ice into a rocks glass.

It could stand a touch of tweaking, but was pretty darn tasty.  I think once (if) summer shows up in Oregon and I start my soda experiments again, I’ll try a sage lemonade.  Until then, I’ll enjoy what the garden has to offer any way I can.

someone else out enjoying the garden

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How does your garden grow?

23 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by Lula Harp in cocktails, garden

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

budget, cocktails, gardening, gin, grapefruit, herbs, homemade soda, simple syrup, thyme

Does what you grow in your garden get used on your plate, in your bath, or around your house?  How about all of the above?  or not at all?

I’ve been playing with herbs and essential oils for years.  I’ve got book shelves lined with all sorts of information.  I’ve even got a mad scientist laboratory of oils, waxes, chemicals, and components in my basement.  I’ve been told I have the best smelling basement ever.  I can’t smell it anymore I’m so accustomed to it all.  But when I need to take a relaxing bath or have a mud mask, I trot down the stairs and whip something up.

A few years ago, when I began tightening the budget belt, I thought about how to make the most of what I do spend.  I didn’t plant a tree that magically made money, but what I did plant gets used in so many ways around my house.  I have herbs that I can cook with or turn into aromatherapy and I have veggies growing for food and because they are pretty.  I came up with a workshop series called Pantry Pampering: how to pamper ourselves with what we have on hand.  Over the next little bit, I’m going to share some of these with you.

To kick this off, I’m going to start this pantry party as any good party should start, with a cocktail.  Thanks to Cocktail Remedy for reminding me to finish the fresh grapefruit juice in the fridge.  I’m making his Grapefruit Thyme Cocktail. (without bottling,  I’ll save bottling for another day)

You can make your cocktails uniquely yours with interesting flavored simple syrups.  When you buy commercial sodas they have so much sugar in them.  One way to cut that sugar is by making your own soda.  Half an ounce to an ounce of your homemade simple syrup* topped with a little club soda makes a nice simple soda.  But add a little vodka or gin to your new soda and you have a fancy cocktail.  Your flavors are limited only by your imagination.

I started with fresh thyme from the yard and made my simple syrup a bit stronger than he did.  He started with 5 sprigs and I used about 10.  I’ve mentioned before I’m into big flavors.  I’ve changed the proportions a touch, but this is a nice summertime spritzer.

1.5z Gin Recipe 3
1.5z fresh pink grapefruit juice
1/4z fresh lime juice
1/2z thyme simple syrup (increase if you want)
top with 2z club soda

Another yummy for summertime BBQ’s!

 

* Simple syrup is generally a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar in which you’ve dissolved the sugar.  Boiling the sugar and water combo versus making a room temperature simple syrup is a source of great debate, but I prefer the boiling method.  One versus the other is a conversation for another day.

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the Rhubarbarian

20 Sunday May 2012

Posted by Lula Harp in cocktails

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

cocktails, fresh squeezed juice, Gin Recipe 3, New Deal Distillery, rhubarb, simple syrup, summer

my new summer drink…

The RHUBARBARIAN…

1 1/2z rhubarb simple syrup*
1z fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2z New Deal Gin Recipe 3
over ice in a rocks glass
topped with 1 1/2-2z club soda

Rhubarb Simple Syrup
4 generous stalks of rhubarb, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for 5-7 minutes.
Strain syrup from rhubarb. At this point you should have a nice rhubarb compote or something like applesauce. eat and enjoy the compote and refrigerate the syrup

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