I usually have at least one herb that grows like wild each summer. 2018 was devoted to sage. I had two different plants – one with long skinny leaves and one with more round leaves and they both did really well. Fortunately its over abundance has carried into fall. With sage’s woody and savory flavor it’s a great addition to many fall dishes including many you’ll find at a Thanksgiving table (such as turkey and stuffing).
I recently volunteered to make a cocktail for a pre-dinner gathering at our friends, Paul S and Dan M’s home. I mentioned to Ed that I was thinking about a sage syrup and he recommended pairing it with rye. While rye isn’t one of my go-to liquors, I thought it was worth a try. Rye whiskey must be made with at least 51% rye whereas other liquors labeled as whiskey can contain barley, corn, rye and/or wheat. Rye has more of spicier tone and a drier taste than its popular cousin Bourbon which is made from corn and is a bit more sweet.
I made a sage simple syrup using honey rather than the traditional white sugar. Then I mixed the sage syrup with rye and lemon juice making for a delightful cocktail. One of the guests that evening, Geoffrey B, wasn’t a rye drinker but he liked this cocktail so much I think we may have converted him into one. Credit goes to Ed for the name of this lovely drink, as well.
It’s never too early to start thinking about Thanksgiving. You can make this syrup now and freeze it – one less thing you have to do around the holiday.
Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Note: While the ingredients used to make rye contain gluten many believe that the distillation process removes the gluten. As a result some with gluten sensitivities are okay with rye while others are not.
| Sagely Advice Cocktail | | Print |
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup (lightly packed) fresh sage leaves
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce sage syrup
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice (~ ½ lemon)
- Garnish with 3 to 4 sage leaves
- Roughly chop sage leaves. Rinse in a colander.
- In a saucepan set over medium-high heat add water and honey. Stir until honey completely dissolves and mixture comes to a simmer. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add chopped sage, cover and let steep for 2 hours. Pour syrup through a sieve into a clean jar and refrigerate. Syrup keeps two months or longer in the refrigerator.
- Makes 2 cups.
- In an old fashioned glass filled with ice, add rye, sage syrup and lemon juice and stir.
- Garnish with additional sage leaves.
* Syrup can be made and frozen. Defrost before serving.
* Syrup makes 16 cocktails.
The maple sage syrup is terrific. I made a double batch and poured the cooled liquid into ice cubes for easy later use. They are also very good in tea.
Adam – Thank you! I’m so glad you liked the syrup. Great tip for storing leftover syrup, too.