It’s sumac month at the Plant Wonder Collective, and I am so excited because this is a new plant for me! I am loving getting acquainted with these little ruby gems.
The taste of sumac is hard to describe; sour, tart, earthy, and in my opinion, delicious. It’s cooling and drying—very astringent and gives that tannin feeling of black tea or red wine. But the flavor is light, and both fruity yet complex and mineral-y.
From tea to spice rub, tincture to wound salve, and even a lovely pink dye, sumac has a host of applications. This plant is full of antioxidants, offers anti-inflammatory aid, is wonderfully healing inside and out, and can help with unpleasant conditions such as water retention and diarrhea. It is good for the cardiovascular system, can aid in drying out the sinuses, and can even lower blood sugar, too! Sumac is widely forageable in the U.S. and has a long history of use by indigenous peoples.
(For more info on sumac, consider checking out the free mini month of content on the Plant Wonder Collective Study Circle Patreon!)
Sumac is tart and delicious as a cold beverage, much like lemonade, and so is often cold-brewed as such—I found lots of simple instructions for doing just that online. But of course I wanted to add a different spin on the typical sumac “lemon”ade, and a September-y flavor profile!
Since I am a huge fan of tart apples and fall cider, I thought I’d try a sumac cider combining this month’s plant with apple and spices! It makes for a lip smacking, satisfyingly-sour and tasty beverage that’s easy to make and kid-friendly, too.
Ingredients:
4 cups apple cider / juice
¼ cup sumac berries, crushed with mortar & pestle
2 tsp simple syrup
1 lemon or orange, juiced
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces / crushed with mortar & pestle
3-4 slices fresh ginger or 1 Tbsp dried ginger pieces
7 cardamom pods
6 cloves
1 tsp allspice berries
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher; you might decide to use a large tea strainer or large eco-friendly paper tea bag to hold the mulling spices for ease of removal. Allow to cold brew either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 4 hours to overnight.
Strain the spices and sumac berries out using a fine mesh sieve (a cheesecloth or coffee filter can help, too). Chill and serve over ice!
If you’d like to make this a bit more of an adult drink, you can always add a splash of bourbon or your preferred liquor to your cup; you could also make a stronger brew of the base cider-ade and add then Prosecco or champagne for fizz.
For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.
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The Herbology Faerie 