It's been freakishly warm here in Northern New Jersey. So warm in fact that plants which should have died from frost were still going strong up until several weeks ago. Raised bed gardening is a passion of mine; not only is it easier to tend the plants, but you can control the soil, amendments and weeds with ease. I tried (and sort of succeeded) in growing tomatoes this past summer and I planted a few herbs at the base. A sage plant (Salvia officinalis) from the summer of 2014 over-wintered and came back, and was even stronger and sturdier for the summer of 2015.
Looking out my window one warm winter day, I thought that before we went down into the single digits (death knell for even the hardiest herbs) I should harvest the leaves and make a simple syrup, and of course a cocktail.
Picking the leaves was easy, and I found a great recipe for the syrup and a cocktail online through Epicurious.http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-buckley-394701
Looking out my window one warm winter day, I thought that before we went down into the single digits (death knell for even the hardiest herbs) I should harvest the leaves and make a simple syrup, and of course a cocktail.
Picking the leaves was easy, and I found a great recipe for the syrup and a cocktail online through Epicurious.http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-buckley-394701
In a small pot, combine 20 sage leaves, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil then lower heat to moderately low and simmer until aromatic and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Allow syrup to cool, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the sage. DO AHEAD: The sage simple syrup can be made in advance and stored, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 week
The smell of the fresh sage was delicious and I let them simmer on a very low flame probably 20 minutes or more. The color of the syrup was a pale green, and a quick taste of the warm syrup proved delicious.
Sage is a strong flavor, and can be a bit overpowering. It is known for many health benefits and was used in Medieval times as an ingredient in beer or ale. English herbalist John Gerard (1545-1612) wrote of sage, "No man need to doubt of the wholesomeness of Sage Ale, being brewed as it should be with Sage, Betony, Scabious, Spikenard, Squinnette (Squinancywort) and Fennell Seed." Brewers today are rediscovering this tradition with sage, including Dogfish Head with a Wild Sage ale http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/brewpub-exclusives/wild-sage-ale.htm and Craftsman Brewing Company which has a Triple White Sage beer. Sage is really one of my favorite flavors, and it especially seems appropriate for a winter gin drink along with sage stuffing and herbs used in Thanksgiving turkey, sage muffins and breads, etc.
After waiting patiently for the syrup to cool, it was time to make the cocktail. Borrowing heavily from Epicurious's "The Buckley" recipe, I decided that the Campari would be overpowering, and that maybe muddling a few sage leaves in the bottom of the shaker would add an extra kick of sage flavor. With a few tweaks, using The Botanist gin, the drink was cool, refreshing and sage-y but not overly so.
Sage Advice
Ingredients:
3 Sage leaves
1.5 oz gin
1.5 oz Lillet blanc
.75 oz fresh lime juice
.75 oz sage simple syrup
Muddle two sage leaves at the bottom of the shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled Champagne coupe glass. Garnish with a sage leaf.