Buzz
While citrus season may have ended, lemons and limes are still available. These fruits are commonly used to add a tangy touch to both foods and beverages. Once juiced, the remaining rind and zest can either be composted, frozen for later zesting, or blended with water to create a flavorful syrup.
If you’re someone who enjoys cocktails, sweet tea, or lemonade, I recommend making this syrup. TikTok chef Veronica Eiken (@chefv707) shares her method, but you don’t need to follow her exact proportions. In the video, she combines lime rinds and three cups of water in a blender, pulses the mix three times, then strains it into a pot. She adds three cups of sugar and simmers the mixture on low heat until the sugar dissolves.
I only had two citrus peels—a Meyer lemon and a regular lemon—so I didn’t use the exact measurements Veronica Eiken suggested. Fortunately, it’s easy to estimate the right amount of water.
Begin by placing your citrus peels in a blender. If they are large, cut them into halves or quarters. Then, add enough water to nearly cover the peels. Some pieces should remain above the water’s surface. Be mindful of the amount of water used, as it will affect the sugar ratio later.
Pulse the mixture three times or blend for a few seconds. Strain the liquid into a pot, then add your choice of sugar—white or brown works fine (I used a blend since I ran out of white). To make a simple syrup, use the same amount of sugar as the water added earlier. For a thicker consistency, you can double the sugar, though it might mask some of the citrus flavor. Heat over low until the sugar dissolves, then cool and strain again into bottles or jars.
The syrup will have a sweet, citrusy flavor, which happens to be one of my favorites. You can brush it on cakes or drizzle over ice cream, but it’s especially great in a chilled drink. Try it in a margarita for an extra punch of citrus, or elevate your lemonade. For a fun twist, channel those TikTok trends and add it to your water bar. A water bar is incomplete without a good selection of syrups.
