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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 3 |
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Some describe the flavor of lemon verbena as a cross between a very subtle licorice and camphor. I love it for its lemony finish. Herbal and bright, it's sometimes used in cooking as a replacement for oregano. As a soda flavor, lemon verbena is modern and crisp, with an herbal complexity. It's great as a stand-alone drink for cocktail hour and as a complement to light, simple meals. Ingredients:
2 cups water |
1 2/3 cups sugar |
20 to 30 large fresh lemon verbena leaves |
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the lemon verbena leaves and cover the pan. Steep for 15 minutes.
2. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the leaves, and let cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
3. Cherry Verbena Soda For one drink, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 tablespoon of the Lemon Verbena Syrup, 2 tablespoons of Sour Cherry Syrup , and a few dashes of acid phosphate or lemon juice or citric acid solution. Top with seltzer and mix gently. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves and maraschino cherries, if desired.
4. Tell Me About Lemon Verbena Sometimes called The Queen of the Lemon-Scented Herbs, lemon verbena was a favorite ingredient in perfumes in late 1700s Europe, and it had a moment of fame in Gone with the Wind, as it was Scarlett's mother's favorite plant. The leaves of lemon verbena are great in cooking, as they impart a lemony fragrance and flavor to dishes ranging from broiled fish, to salad dressings, to light desserts. As a beverage, it is used to make herbal tea and is often added to black tea in place of lemon.
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