Shira Blustein and Brian Luptak said: "We believe that our non-alcoholic beverages should be loved and cared for as much as alcoholic beverages."
Our recipe this week is Acorns: Reimagining Vegetables: Shira Blustein and Brian Luptak's seasonal recipe from root to stem. Tomorrow, we will interview the author.
To try another recipe in the book, check out: Potato Pine Nut Soup and Brussels Sprouts.
Acorn's autumn iced tea will change with the seasons. As fall to winter, add some cinnamon, allspice and cloves, suggested by Vancouver restaurant owner Shira Blustein and chef Brian Luptak. When the temperature rises, replace the rooibos with chamomile and add a lemongrass; or make a mint and replace the apple juice with lime.
“We always have a very in-depth list of non-alcoholic beverages, and we are as careful and attention to detail as our cocktail list when making it,” Brustein said.
"It's very fresh," adds Luptak of Naturally Sweet Drinks, "but the bubbles (from soda or carbonated water) are added a lot."
At The Acorn, they use squeezed apple juice from Klippers Organic Acres from Okanagan to make drinks. To reproduce this effect elsewhere in the country, make sure to source high-quality juices. Luptak grew up in Meaford, Ontario, famous for its apple orchards. "My first job was picking apples," he said, "so I like apple juice."
If you want to make an alcoholic version of iced tea, Blustein recommends adding brown spirits, such as rum. For smoky winter cocktails, Luptak recommends a glass of mezcal and replace apple juice with apple juice: "Then you will get that spicy taste."
2 rooibos tea bags, or about 1 tablespoon loose tea
Boil 4 cups of water, then steep the tea for about 15 minutes. We are looking for a strong flavor here. Filter and cool. Transfer to a sealable container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
4 tablespoons frozen Rooibos tea (recipe above) 4 tablespoons organic squeezed apple juice 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice soda or carbonated water 1 lemon wedges
Put tea, apple juice and lemon juice in a shaker, add ice cubes and shake vigorously. Pour the contents into a rock glass. Sprinkle a little soda on top and garnish with lemon wedges. so easy!
Note: Our apples come from Klippers Organics farm in Okanagan. Not long ago, Klippers started juicing and bottling their apples on the farm, and we were fascinated by this juice. For winter changes, just add some cinnamon, allspice and cloves. In the spring, try chamomile tea and lemongrass sticks instead. In summer, try fresh mint tea, maybe you can replace it with lime juice.
The recipe and photos are taken from Acorns: Vegetables Reimagined: A seasonal recipe from root to stem by Shira Blustein and Brian Luptak. Copyright 2021 Shira Blustein. Photography by Gabriel Cabrera. Published by Appetite, Random House is a division of Penguin Random House Canada Ltd. Reprinted by arrangement with the publisher. all rights reserved.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining an active but private discussion forum and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. It may take up to an hour for comments to appear on the website. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications-if you receive a comment response, an update to a comment thread you follow, or a user comment you follow, you will now receive an email. Please visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust email settings.
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4
© 2021 Exeter Lakeshore Times Advance, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. all rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, dissemination or reprinting is strictly prohibited.
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including advertising) and allow us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.