Forestry Drinks In Vermont

Drinks capture the freshness and flavor of nature when they using foraged plants. I recently had the pleasure of collaborating on an ecotour in Vermont with the Rainforest Alliance and 6 chefs and mixologists from the soon to be opened Avance in Philadelphia. One of the many highlights of the day was the cocktail hour, where Bradford Lawrence created a sustainable forest themed drink using a local gin with honey, and the fresh citrusy evergreen notes of crushed spicebush leaves & berries and hemlock shoots.

Here’s his recipe:

In a medium  bowl, muddle  Spicebush  (1 cup spicebush green berries and leaves and hemlock or spruce green tips).

Infuse in 1:1 simple  syrup sugar and water until flavorful

Add 1/2 teaspoon rose petal jam

In a shaker, mix:

1/2 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz simple foraged syrup

Dash angostura bitters

1 1/2 oz gin

Add Egg white of one egg

Dry shake (no ice)

Shake to froth

Then put in ice and shake again

Double Fine strain the jam and egg white bits out as you pour into a glass.