Sumac Lemonade
The Eastern Woodlands' summer drink: red sumac drupes steeped cold and sweetened with maple. Caffeine-free, sharp, rose-tinged.
Overview
Two whole staghorn sumac drupes (or 3 tablespoons of dried, ground culinary sumac as a substitute) go into cold water for 20 minutes, never hot water, which extracts bitter tannins from the woody stems. The water steeps to a pale rose-pink with a tart citrus aroma. Strained twice through a coffee filter or fine muslin to remove the fine sumac hairs. Sweetened to taste with maple syrup; served over ice with a lemon wheel.
Ingredients
- 2 whole staghorn sumac drupes (foraged in late summer / early autumn; bright red, fully formed, dry to the touch) - OR substitute 3 tablespoons ground culinary sumac (the Middle Eastern spice; same plant family)
- 1.2 litres cold filtered water
- 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or honey)
- Lemon wheels, ice cubes, fresh mint (to serve)
Method
Stage 1 - Identify the sumac (foraged version only)
- Use only STAGHORN SUMAC (Rhus typhina) or SMOOTH SUMAC (Rhus glabra). The drupes are bright deep red, in upright cone-shaped clusters, with fuzzy fruit.
- NEVER use POISON SUMAC (Toxicodendron vernix) - which has WHITE drooping berries, NOT red, and grows in swamps. If in any doubt, don't forage; use the dried ground spice from a shop.
- Pick on a dry day (rain washes away the citric acid coating on the drupes).
Stage 2 - Cold steep
- Place the drupes (whole) in a large jug.
- Pour cold water over.
- Press and bruise the drupes against the side of the jug with the back of a spoon for 1 minute to release the citric acid coating.
- Let stand 20 minutes (no longer - extended steeping draws tannins).
Stage 3 - Strain
- Strain through a fine sieve.
- Strain a second time through a coffee filter or three layers of muslin - sumac drupes have tiny hairs that you don't want in the drink.
Stage 4 - Sweeten
- Stir in maple syrup; taste; add more until balanced. The drink should be sharp like a soft lemonade.
Stage 5 - Serve
- Pour into glasses over ice.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of fresh mint.
Alternative: ground culinary sumac version
- Place 3 tablespoons ground sumac in a muslin bag or tea strainer.
- Steep in 1.2 litres cold water 30 minutes.
- Strain twice; sweeten as above.
Notes
- Cold water, not hot: This is the critical step. Hot water extracts tannins from the woody parts of the cluster and gives a bitter, harsh drink. Cold steeping draws only the citric acid coating.
- Two strainings: Sumac drupes are covered in fine reddish hairs that are mildly irritating to the throat. Two strainings (a sieve then a coffee filter) eliminates them.
- Identification matters: Staghorn / smooth sumac (red, upright fruit clusters) is the edible one. Poison sumac (white, drooping clusters, swamp habitat) is dangerous. If unsure, use the cheap ground spice from a Middle Eastern shop - same plant, dried and ground, safe and widely available.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days; flavour fades after that.
- Best served the day it's made.
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