While this recipe uses many specific ingredients, use the basic sugar-water-acid ratio of 1 cup to 1 cup to 3 tablespoons to create a syrup with your own herb blend specific to your tastes. Other citrus or even vinegar can be substituted for the acid. Ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and clove are other classic spices to experiment with as substitutions. Though you might simply poke around your spice cabinet: chaga, tarragon, rosemary, oregano, sumac, and mint would also add distinctive flair.
Ingredients
- 2 cups birch water (regular water will work fine, but boost cane sugar to 1½ cups)
- 2 juiced limes, peels reserved (about 4 to 6 tablespoons lime juice)
- 1¼ cups cane sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried Labrador tea leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried hyssop
- 2 teaspoons dried lemon balm
- 2 teaspoons dried nasturtium leaves
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, whole
- 1 tablespoon juniper cones (often called berries), whole
- 2 teaspoons vanilla or ½ vanilla pod
- ½ teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
Preparation
Load all the spices into an empty tea bag to create a sachet, or gather a piece of cheese cloth for straining.
Add water to a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add the spices.
Add the sugar and whisk to dissolve. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Bring up to high simmer/low boil for 1 minute.
Turn down to low, add the lime juice and peel, and let simmer for about 10 minutes more.
Remove spices or strain, and bottle.
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