I was tinkering recently with drink ideas for a walk. The advantage of smaller groups (10 people rather than 15) during viral times is that I can tote drinks more easily. Liquids are heavy!
This was a test that never made it to a forage walk, as everyone was happy to be served a seasonal vermouth - but sometimes someone doesn't drink and then I either include a no-alcohol variation, or make them all non-alcoholic. This rather delicious forage-inspired mocktail called on one of my fruitier vinegars, from last spring: wisteria blossoms! Spiked with spicebush, and cut with plain, cold water. Perfumed, tart, sweet, and very refreshing.
The catkins surrounding it belong to Turkish hazel (Corylus colurna). This year has been my first of noticing the fascinating flowers of hazel, and I was playing with their pollen. The catkins are male, and the tiny female flowers are separate, and a deep burgundy.
___________
The drink looks delicious, such a lovely colour. And hazel catkins are one of my favourites. Corylus avellana grows in abundance here on the edge of woodland and I am always so grateful for the appearance of the catkins which marks the end of deep winter. Colours vary from tree to tree, but they always look so elegant, especially backlit and with a breeze through them.
ReplyDeleteThey sound gorgeous. Where are your woods?
DeleteAround here, a very wild mountainous region. Try as I may I can't find a photo online taken in catkin season. But on this photo you can see an orange streak in the foreground - a natural carbonated spring emerging from the rock. It's drinkable but it tastes very strongly of iron! https://www.google.fr/maps/@45.6467896,3.8774848,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipOqxHOJBnk8EkEIPAQycuMp2wrffv_rloYs-hs!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOqxHOJBnk8EkEIPAQycuMp2wrffv_rloYs-hs%3Dw203-h361-k-no!7i2336!8i4160
ReplyDelete