Peach Shrub Mocktail

During our first summer in Colorado, I discovered my love/obsession with Colorado peaches. I have honestly never tasted anything so delicious and for a couple of weeks all I can think about is eating at least one peach every single day so I don't miss out on the fleeting season. It also helps me deal with the fact that I am overheating/melting every time the temperature creeps above 85 degrees. Last year, I made a huge batch of peach jam thinking we would enjoy it all year round. But then no one ate it. It turns out people have some serious opinions about peach jam. Message received. This year, I opted for something a little different and made a peach shrub. Never heard of a shrub? It is essentially juice extracted from fresh produce and mixed with vinegar to be used as a mixer for cocktails. You can do it with just about any seasonal fruit from spring and summer berries to fall apples (which I'll be trying ASAP). And once you make it and stick it in the fridge, you have one year to savor and enjoy.

Yep. It's wonderful.

I plan to sip my way through the year (or the next 6 months...depends on how long this lasts) with shrub-based mocktails like this one. Fall flavors like sage, nutmeg and apple cider blend perfectly with the sweet flavor of summer peaches. And the vinegar adds a lovely zing that most mocktails lack.

With this drink in hand I'd like to say cheers to fall and thanks to summer for the lovely peaches.

I'll be spending the next 10 days soaking up the fall leaves in Minnesota. If you'd like to follow along with my trip, be sure follow me on instagram!

Peach Shrub Mocktail

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

The peach shrub recipe is from my friend Jen from Use Real Butter. I doubled the recipe and tried one bottle with apple cider vinegar and one with white vinegar. So far, I've enjoyed the white vinegar best but both are quite lovely.

Ingredients

• 1 oz peach shrub
• 2 oz apple cider
• 3 large sage leaves
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, combine 2 of the sage leaves and the shrub and muddle to release the flavor of the sage.
2. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and add the apple cider and nutmeg.
3. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with the last sage leaf.

Cocktail Friday: Spiked Lemonade

My sister, Rebecca (who also blogs here), will be taking the reigns on Fridays for a while and I am SO excited about it! Armed with her trusty iPhone and lots of Happy Hour experience, I know she will be bringing some great stuff to Set the Table! This spiked lemonade is perfect for summer, which officially starts tomorrow.

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It's been stormy in the Midwest this week. In Minneapolis, the Mississippi is getting a little too mighty. Minnehaha Creek is rolling up and up and up into the backyards of South Minneapolis and strong winds have knocked down trees and caused power outages almost every other day.

We've heard the power is out at home. I'm in Chicago for a few days though and here, the power is definitely ON.

Generally, I don't mind when the power goes out for a little while. It's not like we live in a loud place (we're basically in the country). Still, there is the tug of the iPhone, the hum of the appliances, and the lure of the television. But when the power goes out? Quiet. Quiet like you never knew it was so loud in the first place. Nothing beeps or blinks or hums and time stretches out like taffy. It's a mini wake up call.

Lemons to Lemonade | Set the Table

This weeks cocktail is a version of lemonade that will make you rethink how you make lemonade forever. I promise.

The ingredients are the same but instead of juicing the lemons, you use the entire fruit. The lemons are chopped and puréed and the sugar is added through a filtering process that is a little labor intensive but ultimately makes a beautiful, soft, smooth, and almost 'milky' drink.

Spiked Lemonade | Set the Table

I stored the leftovers in a pitcher in the refrigerator for a few days and it kept perfectly - just the thing for a summer party.

Spiked Lemonade

Yield: Makes about 5 cocktails

This intensely lemony spiked lemonade is perfect to make for summer parties. The recipe has been barely adapted from The Guardian (here) and the amounts have been halved. Double it for a large group. The lemonade keeps well in the refrigerator if you'd like to make it ahead of time.

Ingredients

• 4 unwaxed organic lemons, cut into small pieces (see photo above)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup gin
• Fresh sage leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse the lemons and 2 tablespoons sugar until pureed.
2. Pour the puree into a strainer set over a pitcher and let the liquid run through.
3. Transfer the remaining pulp back to the blender and add another 2 tablespoons of sugar along with the water. Pulse a few times and strain again.
4. Repeat this process until the you have used all the sugar.
5. Throw the remaining pulp away. Add the gin to the pitcher and stir to combine.
6. Pour into ice filled glasses and garnish with a fresh sage leaf.