Drinks from the Garden

Cultivating and crafting the perfect mixers takes time and age-old processes.

Everything old is becoming new again, with summer drink choices also joining in on the trend. Sweet and savory drinks designed from what you can grow in your garden are making a comeback, providing a way to preserve the fruits of your labor or that of your local growers, if your green thumb isn’t fully developed yet.

Vintage Vibe

A refreshing drink called a Shrub was popular as a way to extend the life of produce before refrigeration hundreds of years ago. It can be made from locally grown fruits, sugars and vinegars with 2-4 days maceration time and a 2-4 week shelf life in the refrigerator. Phil Giomassis from Japango Boulder explained their process for making this base for fruity mocktails.

“What you’re doing is taking fruit, this time it’s strawberry, and you take two parts fruit to one part brown sugar,” said Phil. “You let this macerate for 24-48 hours; that’s going to extract a lot of oils and make an oleo saccharum syrup. Then you mix that syrup with one part Balsamic vinegar and let that macerate for another 24-48 hours in the fridge.”

Japango on Pearl Street in Boulder offers not only the Shrub Drink, perfect for mocktails and mixing cocktails, but also a Garden Party drink that contains carrots and an Old Fashioned-type drink made with shitake mushrooms.

After it’s ready, you take the sweet and tart mixture and add soda water to serve, giving it an effervescent, bubbly feel.

Pick your produce

If you are just practicing, or a professional, at growing greens, fruits, and vegetables you can pluck these ingredients right from your garden. Those thirsty for a refreshing drink, but lacking a gardener’s tender touch, can get what they need at the Boulder Farmer’s Market, which runs every Saturday, April through November from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many of the growers there are able to produce fresh produce in greenhouses, making them ready for early spring delivery to the market.

Some of the produce you’ll need for your summer sips is native to Colorado, though if it’s found in the wild, is likely totally different than what you buy at the market. Tommy Roth, with the Colorado State University Extension Office, said that native plants like strawberries, blackberries and raspberries would be different when picked from the wilderness.

“The Boulder raspberry… is not going to be like if you’re expecting a raspberry, you’re going to be like, ew,” said Roth. “What is this thing that’s not sweet?” And as for the native strawberries, Roth said with a chuckle, “I wouldn’t say they are tasty, but I wouldn’t say they are not, not tasty.”

Vendor views

The farmers market offers much of what you need to get started creating your concoctions, including plant starters grown in a greenhouse over the winter that you can just pop into your garden and nurture through the growing season for your Shrub Drink needs.

One popular farmers market vendor, The Fresh Herb Company, offers herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Jonathan Rogerson who works at Fresh Herb said they have three greenhouses as well as farmland for producing plant starts, as well as peppers, cucumbers, and hanging flower baskets. Like most good things it takes time to grow the herb starter plants. “The largest rosemary was planted last fall,” explained Rogerson.

“You can never be in a bad mood at the farmers market,” said Jonathon Rogerson, with The Fresh Herb Company, which offers many herb plants to put in your own garden, as well as greens and tomatoes, lavender and other beautiful flowers.

Rogerson said the company also makes a lavender spray that is perfect for adding flavoring to drinks, with a spritz or two proving a floral pop to your summer sip.

At the farmer’s market you’ll also find pressed juices for mocktails and cocktails. Cocktail Caravan does all the work of creating refreshing drinks and mixers ready to pour over ice. A dried orange garnishment sweetens the deal.

Seasons savings

Different fruits and vegetables ripen at different times over the summer, enabling you to create a varied menu of seasonal elixirs. Melons are the bumper crop for Monroe Family Farms, which is located east of Greeley. Robert Thompson said the reason they grow so well is the sandy soil in the area. The muskmelons, cantaloupe, and honey dew will be ready for market in July.

And with a Shrub Drink, your summer doesn’t have to end just because the growing season does. “Now you can have your Colorado peaches into the winter,” pointed out Giomassis.

Whether you’re growing the goods yourself or frequenting the farmers’ market, sipping summer drinks never tasted so good.

Breakout Box:

How to Make a Shrub Drink

Ingredients: