Lemon Verbena Soda Recipes

Steps:

• Put sugar and 1 cup water into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; add herbs. Cover; let cool completely.
• Pour syrup through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard herbs. Stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Fill glasses with ice. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons syrup; top with sparkling water or club soda, and stir.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the lemon verbena leaves and cover the pan. Steep for 15 minutes.
• Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the leaves, and let cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Cherry Verbena Soda
• For one drink, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 tablespoon of the Lemon Verbena Syrup, 2 tablespoons of Sour Cherry Syrup , and a few dashes of acid phosphate or lemon juice or citric acid solution. Top with seltzer and mix gently. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves and maraschino cherries, if desired.

Steps:

• In heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and add lemon verbena. Let steep 10 minutes, then strain. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice. Divide syrup among them, pour in club soda, stir, and serve.

Steps:

• Put the lemon verbena leaves, lemon zest and water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate to high heat, then turn the heat to simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and allow to stand, covered, for several hours.
• Pour the infusion through a strainer into a large, deep saucepan. Press on the leaves to extract all flavor, then discard the leaves and zest. Stir in the lemon juice and sugar and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Add food coloring. Stir in the pectin and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for two minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from the heat and skim the foam, if necessary. Ladle the jelly into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal with new lids and metal rings.
• Process for 5 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes about five 6-ounce jars.
• This subtly flavored jelly is good with scones or toasted brioche, or in the center of thumbprint butter cookies.

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.
• Add lemon verbena, mint and honey.
• Infuse for 10 minutes, then strain.
• Cool and serve over ice.