This week we will begin exploring how to incorporate seasonal produce when making cocktails at home. Techniques to do this include Maceration, Juicing and Muddling*. We’ll get started by practicing with Cantaloupe, as it will work well for all three techniques and allow us to compare them easily.
I’ll also be sharing examples of Sours made using each of these three techniques for reference as you experiment with them on your own.
*Note: Other methods include infusions, which will be covered later in the blog, as well as heated syrups, which I find carry a cooked or jammy flavor, therefore negating the purpose of using fresh produce.
Hardware:
Chef's Knife
Paring Knife
Cutting Board
Non-reactive container
Muddler
Boston Shaker
Mesh Strainer
Hawthorn Strainer
Julep Strainer
Juicer or Juicing Equipment (food processor, immersion blender, grater)
Mesh Strainer or 18” Cotton Square
2 Empty 10 oz Glass Bottles
Ingredients:
Lemons
Refined Sugar
2 to 3 Ripe Cantaloupes (*Plan to use about ½ a cantaloupe per technique below)
Syrups from Last Week (Simple Syrup, Honey Syrup, Tea Syrup, Grenadine)
MACERATION
Maceration is essentially the process of making a syrup without using water or heat. We will be using sugar to extract the liquid from the fruit (for demo & practice purposes, we will use a cantaloupe). Fortunately, nature also seeks balance, so osmosis will handle much of the heavy lifting.
Pros: Easy to make, keeps the fresh flavors of the produce, and can last longer than two weeks when refrigerated.
Cons: It is a syrup, which means there is only so much you can use, less options to add more flavor, takes a long time to make (12-24 hours).
Steps for Maceration
Clean and cut about ½ of a cantaloupe into small pieces. Be sure to remove the rind. (The smaller the pieces, the more surface area there will be, resulting in better extraction of liquids)
Place 1 cup of diced cantaloupe into a non-reactive co
Toss with 1 cup of sugar, ensuring cantaloupe is well coated with sugar
Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Every 2-3 hours, shake up the sugar fruit combination to ensure the sugar is coming into contact with the produce
In 24-hours or less the sugar will have extracted the liquid
Strain out any solid fruit by placing strainer (or cotton cloth) over funnel and pour mixture fill a glass bottle
Label and date the bottle w/ masking tape
Refrigerate
NOTE: There is no set amount of sugar to use when macerating fruits. If you’re working with a fruit that is naturally juicer–like strawberries or peaches–then I suggest starting with about 1 cup of refined sugar for each 1 cup of sliced fruit. If you’re working with a drier fruit–like figs or bananas–start with 1/2 a cup of sugar for each 1 cup of fruit. As you experiment, if you notice the sugar is extracting the liquid of a particular fruit quickly, then you can strain out the syrup into a glass bottle and add more sugar to the fruit pieces to maximize the extraction of the maceration.
JUICING
This is the same process used when making ginger syrup, so this technique should be familiar. Of the three methods, I prefer this one as I find it to be the most versatile and consistent.
Pros: Not a syrup so you are less restricted. Keeps the fresh and bright flavors. Allows you to use other syrups for a more complex cocktail.
Cons: Labor intensive. Not a long shelf life for fresh juices. Ideally you would use them on the day of juicing, but it can be extended, just make sure to taste the juice before use.
Steps for Juicing
Clean and slice ½ of a cantaloupe. Be sure to remove the rind
If you have a juicer, juice away and skip ahead to bottling and refrigeration. If not, use food-processor/chopper/grater to shred the cantaloupe over a large bowl
Strain out any solid fruit by placing strainer (or cotton cloth) over funnel and pour mixture fill a glass bottle
Label and date the bottle w/ masking tape
Refrigerate
MUDDLING
It doesn’t get much fresher than Muddling, which is done as you’re building and mixing a cocktail, versus being prepared ahead of time. I muddle when experimenting with new recipes, when I want the flavors to be the epitome of fresh, or when I’m using odds and ends around the house (like the last of the fresh berries, etc.).
Pros: Juice does not get any fresher; A perfect way to experiment with new fruits on a small scale; Especially great for drier fruits like dates and figs
Cons: Lots of clean up between drinks; Build time of drinks is longer; The amount of juice extracted and included in each drink is less precise; Muddled drinks cannot be batched (you can only make 1 or 2 at a time; I rarely make muddled drinks at home for groups larger than 4)
Prep the fruit or herbs you will be muddling into the cocktail
Add the syrup and citrus to the smaller tin from your Boston shaker
Add produce and/or herb you want to muddle (3 x 1" cubes of cantaloupe in this case)
Use the muddler to break up the fruit and extract the juice. (You are not trying to pulverize the fruit or herbs you are trying to get the juice. No need to press overly hard or muddle for too long, usually 5-10 plunges with a light twist for herbs, perhaps more when working with produce should do it.)
Add base spirit & ice
Shake & double strain
MAKING A SOUR USING MACERATION, JUICING & MUDDLING
You spent last week perfecting the sour, and now you have learned how to incorporate syrups and juices made from seasonal produce. So let’s make a cocktail using what you produced using the three techniques introduced this week.
As we have all along, remember to taste as you go! If you think it needs more of something, add it! Be creative and have fun.
NOTE: While we used cantaloupe to learn the techniques this week, these recipes can be used when working any other fresh produce.
Recipe for a Maceration Syrup Sour
.75oz. Lemon Juice
.75oz. Cantaloupe Syrup
2oz. Bourbon
Shake/Strain
Recipe for a Fresh Juice Sour
1.5 oz. Cantaloupe Juice
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.75 oz. Honey Syrup
2 oz. Bourbon
Shake & Strain
Recipe for a Muddled Produce Sour
2-3 Tbsp Chopped Cantaloupe
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.25 oz. Cinnamon Syrup
.25 oz. Simple Syrup
*MUDDLE*
Add 2 oz. Bourbon
Shake & Double Strain
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
If you have the time, experiment by making each of these 3 techniques with cantaloupe and make the same cocktail. This will allow you to compare how each method plays into a drink and develop your opinion on each
When incorporating fresh produce, more often than not, I will make a fresh juice or puree for use in my cocktails. While it does have a shorter shelf life, I find it to be the easiest to use, most consistent, most versatile and remains truest to the flavor of the produce I am working with
I often use macerations towards the end of a season – so I can freeze some or to make large quantities of simple cocktails for gatherings.
You can macerate any fruit to make a syrup, however if it is super-juicy (for example, watermelon), it is best to just juice it
If you are making a maceration with smaller berries (like blueberries), it will be easier to light mash them, rather than slicing them
When macerating, the thinner you slice a fruit, the more surface area you will have, which will allow the extraction of more liquid in a shorter amount of time. However, DO NOT puree the fruit, or you will have a hard time straining out the fruit particles.
Remember, not every recipe you experiment with is going to be a win. You will get better at predicting the outcome as your experience grows. Plus, keep in mind, we have just ended our first month. Speaking of, just two weeks left until we have recouped the cost of the bar equipment we purchased and the handle of workhorse bourbon. (See, aren’t workhorses great?!)
Don't forget to taste each of your ingredients before making a cocktail; it’s important to know what you are working with.
Don't forget to write down your favorite recipes!
The combination of cantaloupe juice, honey syrup, lemon and bourbon was pretty delicious
Fresh fruit juices contain natural sugars and usually contain acid. When building a drink, start with less syrup and less citrus. As I’ve mentioned, you can always add more, you can not take it out
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Make an original cocktail using your favorite seasonal fruit and one of these three techniques–Maceration, Muddling or Juicing. And of course, I’d love to see what you come up with. Share your creation on Instagram with the #JRinthehomeBAR and tag me @JRintheBAR.
SHOPPING LIST FOR NEXT WEEK
12 oz. container of Orange Juice (refrigerated, not shelf-stable)
12 oz. container of Grapefruit Juice (refrigerated, not shelf-stable)
Jar of quality Peach or Apricot Preserves
Juice Boxes - 100% Apple Juice (Yup, I said juice boxes)
Lemons
More sweeteners (sugar, honey, etc.), if needed