Do you remember how the beginning of summer feels?
As adults, every season seems to flow seamlessly into the next–you know, kind of like sand in an hour glass. But just try to remember for the moment the feeling of waking up that first morning of summer break when you were in fifth grade. No responsibilities other than mom’s chore list. Those summers seemed to last FOREVER.
Summer on the farm is by far the busiest season for all of us. Just keeping up with mowing the lawn and tending to the vegetable garden can easily monopolize anything resembling a free moment, but last night as the sun settled beneath the treeline for its nightly slumber, I stepped out onto the back porch and inhaled.
Some scrupulous readers might ask what exactly I was inhaling…
Lilacs
For a brief moment I felt that thrill again–of a long summer full of anticipation, of long days, of sweating and swimming pools and laughter.
As quickly as it came, it escaped me.
I went inside and awaiting me in my email inbox was a message from my friend Garth reminding me that I had promised to come up with a summer cocktail idea for The American Hotel this summer. Wouldn’t it be nice to recapture that moment standing on the backporch amidst the lilacs?
With very little hesitation, an idea came to me. The Beekman Backporch Bliss will be served at the hotel throughout the season.
The Beekman Backporch Bliss
To a glass of champagne or prosecco add a splash of lilac simple syrup (the best summer cocktails are always simple).
For our simple syrup recipe, click here
A little champagne always helps to bring back those youthful passions!
17 Comments
Perfect! Did the lilac blossoms add much of a fragrance to the syrup?
Hi, Kenn
They don’t add much taste, but the fragrance is definitely noticeable. It makes you wish you were a hummingbird!
The day elementary school ended for summer recess, my family would pack up and spend three months at my grandmother’s house with the huge wraparound verandah – and giant wooden porch swing. Ringing the verandah were beds full of overwhelmingly fragrant gardenia bushes.. I would wait until the Texas sun went down and then curl up in the swing with a static-riddled AM transistor radio and listen to “Ellery Queen Mystery Radio Theatre”. Fireflies provided evening light.
Fast foward 40 years and things are not that different. I’ll go for a late night swim and then retire to my treetop terrace, smelling the potted gardenias – and listening to Sirius satellite radio. It’s the closest I can get now to summers at Grandmother’s.
It’s a great memory, WIll
Add a comfortable chair and the sipping is even more perfect.
Oh, Mary
Sometimes the most comfortable chairs just aren’t pretty. What then?
Those Adirondack chairs look like they would be really uncomfortable, but they usually feel good. My plantation rocking chair helps my back to feel good. I rock all the way to San Francisco! About three weeks after my mom died, I saw her in the back yard in a white new Adirondack chair, dressed in a muu muu!She looked abnout 30 or 40 years old. She waved to me, then after about four minutes she faded. That was when I knew that we don’t die..
PS: My country neighnbor in 1970, Mrs. Rawlins, who made a pound cake every weekend, told me not to prune lilacs very much, or it could take a few years fdor them to bloom again. I wish I could type. oh Lord
Yes. Lilacs are best left undisturbed. We transplanted a few last year and they came nowhere near to matching their prior glory. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for next year
This sounds like the perfect cocktail. Summer started to come, and then has quickly faded. My summer clothes currently remain in the loft – I feel it is tempting fate to bring them out to early. The best part of summer for me though, is summer ending and autumn beginning. Will try making your cocktail this weekend.
Pru
Hi, Pru
Let us know how it turns out for you
The front porch, the view of the garden, the sounds of birds, the dog laying next to me and a cup of coffee in hand…life is good. the feeling of completeness and that life could not be better. Maybe instead of Lilacs how about lemon verbana? Fresh, clean and crisp…
See how easy it is to realize how “rich” we all are? It just takes a few seconds of reflection
Reynolds Price has written the preface to a great book called Out On The Porch. I keep buying this book and giving it away, about 7 now and counting. The next one I will keep for me. I will write in it to remind myself! If you write to Reynolds, he will write back. How good is that!
Bill, the best smelling soap I have is one I found from France at my local co-op. It is a lovely oval bar and is Lemon Verbena! I put it beside my bed for the fragrance. I have another bar for bathing!
Hi, Phyllis
I grew up in NC, so Reynolds Price is a literary celebrity to me. I’ll have to pick up this book
The French LOVE verbena…and lavender