Sumac Lemonade

Staghorn sumac is very visible in the fall with its bright red leaves and bright red berries. This is another plant that has separate male and female plants. The females are the ones with the clusters of bright red fuzzy berries.

The berries have a zingy flavor to them. I once made lemonade out of them by soaking clusters of berries in cold water in sunlight and adding some maple syrup to it. The berries are strained out before you drink it.

Recently my friend, Ben Nelson, of the Claremont Spice and Dry Goods shop, gave me a gift of some ground sumac that he prepared himself. Apparently, you can add it to any dish to give it a nice citrusy flavor. This plant is related to cashews and pistachios, so if you have an allergy to those nuts, it might be best not to try this lemonade. 

Check out how to make Sumac Lemonade here.