Make a trash cocktail with fruit scraps
Before you throw away (or compost) orange, clementine or lemon peels, mix up a “trash cocktail.” In a process similar to making limoncello, citrus peels can be used to make an old-fashioned cordial known as oleo-saccharum, a syrup that can be added to the drink of your choice.
You’ll need:
Citrus peels (about 3 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Vodka (optional)
A bowl
A muddler or spoon
1. Stockpile. As you snack on clementines or squeeze lemons over pasta throughout the week, stash the peels in a bag inside your fridge. After you’ve accumulated a handful, it’s time to make a drink.
2. Start your cordial. Place all of your peels in a bowl and cover with half a cup or more of sugar. Give them a nice, even dusting. (Professional bartenders separate the pith from the peel to avoid bitterness.)
3. Wait. Let the sugar-citrus mixture rest for at least an afternoon, or overnight — the longer, the better. If you start in the morning, you can have a drink right in time for cocktail hour.
4. Muddle. Smash the peels with a spoon or a muddler.
5. Stir and strain. Once you have liquid pooled in the bowl, add a bit of water, lemon juice and vodka, and stir to incorporate. Remove the peels and squeeze any additional liquid out of them. A little goes a long way.
6. Drink up. You made a cordial! Enjoy it in a fizzy highball, gimlet, spritz or drink of your choice. Next time, try experimenting with grapefruit, blood orange or lime.