Infuse: Oil, Spirit, Water (21 page)
Read Infuse: Oil, Spirit, Water Online
Authors: Eric Prum,Josh Williams
Immediate
32 oz
Grapefruit and jalapeños are a match made in infusion heaven. The tartness of the grapefruit juice is naturally balanced out by sweet agave and a hint of heat from fresh jalapeños. Tequila optional (but really, when is tequila ever not an option?).
20 oz of water
10 oz of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz of raw agave
3 slices of jalapeño chili pepper, seeds removed
i.
Combine all ingredients in a 32 oz Mason jar.
ii.
Seal and shake to combine for 30 seconds.
iii.
Serve over ice. The infusion will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Taste the jalapeño before using it in this infusion to gauge spice levels. Some peppers pack more of a punch than others, so you may need to adjust the recipe to better accommodate for your preferred spice level.
12 hours
32 oz
Made by infusing water and vinegar with fresh ginger, the switchel dates back to colonial times when farmers drank the bracing beverage to quench their thirst during the hay harvest. Fast forward to present day, where we’ve updated the old recipe by adding sherry vinegar and honey to the mix.
20 slices of fresh ginger, peeled
30 oz of water
2 oz of sherry vinegar
2.5 oz of honey
i.
Add the ginger slices to a 32 oz Mason jar and muddle until thoroughly crushed.
ii.
Add the water, sherry vinegar, and honey, seal, and shake to combine.
iii.
Refrigerate for 12 hours.
iv.
Strain through cheesecloth, squeezing excess liquid from the ginger.
v.
Serve over ice. The infusion will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Great for impressing your hipster friends. Sure, they’ve heard of shrubs, but have they heard of switchel?
Switchel tastes great on its own, but it’s also a delicious cocktail ingredient. Try mixing 4 oz of switchel with 1 oz of whiskey or dark rum for a super quick and tasty drink.
S
outherners take iced tea seriously. Where we’re from it’s customary to keep a pitcher of ice-cold tea ready for visitors. Inspired by this tradition, we have upgraded the traditional hot-brewed iced tea by using a cold-brewing technique combined with fresh flavoring ingredients. Cold brewing tea for several hours slowly draws out the core flavors of the tea without unwanted bitter and astringent notes, and it actually reduces the amount of caffeine in the finished tea. The addition of fruit and herbs during the brewing process creates layers of refreshing flavors and opens up a world of potential tea-ingredient combinations.
