Ms Murky Mondays

This week I am all about preparations for the Berkshire Grown fundraiser honoring Sarah Gray Miller of Country Living Magazine. I have my lists, my schedule and I am in motion.

I have contacted the farms and purveyors with my orders, rented tables and chairs, sewed my table runners and have begun the preparations.  It's a frenzy of activity around here!!

Yesterday I made peach nectar and lemon simple syrup for the cocktails.

 

Peach Nectar for our Peachy Keen Martini’s

I wanted to serve a “special” cocktail for this event.  With the gorgeous and delicious local peaches that are currently in season, I decided to concoct some peach nectar to be mixed with Berkshire Mountain Distillers Ice Glen Vodka. What better to way to celebrate local everything!!

10 Ripe Peaches from Maynard Farm

3 cups water

Boil a large pot of water and put the peaches in the water for about 5 minutes until the skin is ready to peel off. Remove the peaches into a cold water bath to stop the cooking process. The skin should easily peel off the peach.  Slice and remove pit.  In batches, put 2 cups of sliced peaches and 1 cup of water in a blender until smooth.  Strain and store in refrigerator until the PARTY!!

Simple Lemon Syrup

I am addicted to limonata.  But I just bought a Sodastream carbonator and thought, why not make limonata for vodka and limonatas or just limonata.  Here’s my recipe:

4 cups organic cane sugar

4 cups water

Zest of a couple of lemons

3 cups fresh lemon juice

Simple syrup is simple - it’s one part sugar to one part water. Cook sugar, water and lemon zest over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and water boils. Remove and  let cool.  Add lemon juice and store in refrigerator until the PARTY!!  I tried about 1/2 cup  of syrup with the liter bottle that comes with the Sodastream and it seemed to do the trick - YUM!!