BEER COMES FROM HARDY GRAINS like barley that can survive freezing temperatures. The fizziness of beer is from the fermentation of the grain, and the hops (or other herb) act as a preservative and flavoring. Beer will continue to age in an unopened bottle, affecting its flavor after a few months, depending on the type of beer, and eventually become “flat” with no bubbles. Once a beer bottle is opened, it becomes flat after a day or less.
With the boom of craft breweries, there are so many delicious nuances in beer now. I started using beer for its flavor (and not the fizz) in cooking when we discovered a keg of flat beer at the restaurant.
MAKES 1½ CUPS / ACTIVE TIME: 5 MIN / INACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN
Use any leftover beer to make this slightly sour jelly. It is a great topping for the Wheat Bran Ice Cream (here).
2 cups leftover flat beer
1 cup sugar
1 (3-ounce) box pectin
Simmer the beer in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
Add the sugar and increase heat to high. In a 1-cup measure, whisk the pectin with one ladle of the hot beer until thoroughly combined. Pour back into the boiling beer jelly and boil for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into heat-proof jars. For more information on canning and non-fruit jams see the Resources here.
TESTER’S NOTE:
I never thought to make jelly out of beer-can dregs! It had a savory sweet flavor with slightly sour notes. It was great spread on toast or with fine herbs.
ASIDE FROM WATER, TEA is the most consumed beverage in the world. Teas are mostly made from the leaves of shrubs and herbs, but fruits, berries, and bark can also be brewed into tea. We prefer whole leaf tea to tea bags, but if using tea bags, you can conserve them by steeping them in a pot or by using one bag to make several cups. You can also use them to flavor drinks.
I LOVE TO BUY single dried herbs and make my own tea blends at home, depending on my mood, my state of health, and the season. Whole leaf teas are incredibly easy to make. Or you can combine whole scraps of dried herb, fruit rinds, and spices. Store your tea blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark space.
To brew, place a scoop in a fine mesh strainer (tea ball or scoop) over the top of a teapot.
In a small pot, bring 2 cups of non-chlorinated spring water to just under a boil.
Remove from the heat and pour over the tea herbs, and steep the ingredients in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you prefer your tea. Add honey if you prefer a sweeter tea.
For a CHRISTMAS TEA, I like to use dried orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime peels with allspice, licorice root, cloves, a pinch of dried thyme, dried vanilla bean, a sprig of spruce, and a sprig of dried rosemary.
To make a SPRING TONIC TEA, I combine dried rhubarb peel, nettle, mint stems, dried juniper berries, lemon verbena, and lemon thyme.
When it’s warm out, I make SUMMERTIME FLOWERS AND BERRIES TEA: dried and overripe berries, leaves, and flowers.
MAKES 1 COCKTAIL / ACTIVE TIME: 10 MIN / TOTAL TIME: 3 HRS
The flavor of the chamomile slides in at the end of a sip of this cocktail: a soothing floral herb.
2 ounces (¼ cup) Chamomile Whiskey (below)
ounce Simple Syrup (below)
1 dash Angostura bitters
Ice
1 strip orange zest
In a pint mixing glass, combine the chamomile whiskey, simple syrup, and bitters. Fill the glass with ice and stir for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until diluted. Add additional ice to an old-fashioned glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Express the orange zest and insert over glass.
MAKES 2 CUPS, enough for 8 cocktails / ACTIVE TIME: 5 MIN / TOTAL TIME: 3 HRS or longer
2 used chamomile tea bags
2 cups rye whiskey
In a glass mason jar, steep the chamomile in the whiskey for 3 hours (or longer if you desire a stronger chamomile flavor). Strain. Store in a cool dark place in a mason jar for 6 months.
MAKES 1½ CUPS / TIME: 10 MIN
1 cup demerara brown sugar
¾ cup water
In a small pan, combine the sugar and water and heat for 5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.