The notion of seasonality can be a little loopy out way out here at Matchbook. We are surrounded by water on three sides. Seasons seems to come and go by the day. Yesterday was rhubarb and next month raspberries. Tomorrow swimming, the day after a warm fire.
Also, the cycle of production builds space between digging something out of the dirt and pouring it into a bottle, a space filled with dreamy anticipation.
In December we roasted sunchokes. It was cold. The grey interrupted only by the orange of the smoking embers. Spring was still behind us. Now, we have this lovely spirit in a lovely flask! Salt and mid day light peeking through trees, once red-cold fingertips now skipping beach stones.
For this I wanted to pair Late Embers with the flavor of sun, like 2% too much sun after a lawn chair afternoon. Pepper, pineapple, herby roots, ripe mango, and tiny bit of mustard. The process is easy, for the pineapple, pepper, turmeric and apple you need a juice extractor—there are plenty out there but I like this one. For the mango you need a blender. And the lemon a hand juicer...or sturdy hands.
Sun Smoked Sun Cooler
Keep in mind this is a mixed drink for a few or more. Care to scale up or down--add more or less of any ingredient that you like. That is to say, all these things taste lovely with Late Embers, even at varying amounts.
Fetch the following:
3 Yellow Bell Peppers
1/4 Habañero
1/2 Pineapple (eat the rest, share with friends)
1 Golden Apple
1 Green Apple
2 Yellow Mangos
3 Small Carrots
1 Lemon (or 2 depending on tartness of other fruits)
2 knobs of Turmeric
2 teaspoons Mustard Powder (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Slice up the fruits to fit your equipment. Juice them all and strain them. Except for the mango, we are pureeing that in a blender. Tip: Juice smaller bits like turmeric along with other larger bits. Second Tip: Clean turmeric immdiately
Combine in a pitcher, store chilled.
Tip: Juice smaller bits like turmeric along with other larger bits. Second Tip: Clean turmeric immidiately.
To drink, add 2 oz of Late Embers to 6-8 oz of juice mix over ice. Consume outside.
~Chad Arnholt