Summer is calling
If you’ve been to Italy (or seen ‘The White Lotus’ TV series like me), you wouldn’t have missed the vibrant orange aperitivo they are enjoying the whole summer - Aperol spritz. With pōhutukawa in full and spectacular bloom right now I decided to tweak the recipe and replace Aperol with pōhutukawa cordial* – a quick, easy, delicious and nutritious syrup.
Pōhutukawa cordial
• 300 to 400 grams of pōhutukawa stamens
• 1 litre of water
• 100g of sugar
Method
Boil water in a pot and reduce it to a simmer.
Add the sugar and simmer until it's absorbed.
Turn off the heat.
Chuck your stamens in and let the mixture steep overnight, brewing like a cup of tea. Make sure you have the lid on, it will keep the flavours and volatile elements in the pot.
The next day, strain out the stamens, gently pressing but not squeezing them, and transfer to a clean bottle.
Once you make the cordial you can mix it with sparkling water. Or if you decide to add La Dolce Vita element make a pōhutukawa spritz by mixing:
1 part sparkling water
2 parts pōhutukawa cordial
3 parts prosecco (sparkling wine)
*The pōhutukawa cordial recipe is borrowed from a fellow Coastie and forager Callum Hodgson Forage and Find NZ