Jackie Zykan Maître Liquoriste + Perfumer + Herbalist

By: Jackie Zykan

Every year towards the end of July I find myself exploring escape routes from the heat of the Midwest. Cold water, daytime highs in the 60 degree range, basically airconditioning but turned into a multi day vacation. Mid winter can fuel the same desires, but in the opposite direction of the thermometer, and over the course of time I start to understand the migration patterns of those folks we refer to as “snow birds”. Unfortunately, given the current climate we find ourselves in, both economically as well as environmentally, some of us may find ourselves having to push through these most intense moments of summer heat closer to home this year. Despite the quest to find shade and air conditioning, pools or even lake time, keep in mind that long term heat can take a toll on your body and mind. This month let’s look at a solution to balance the books a bit and keep hydrated naturally. 

HYDRATION IS KEY

Our bodies require more than just water to hydrate. Thank you, osmosis. Balancing sodium, potassium, and magnesium are key. When we sweat, we don’t just lose water, we lose electrolytes as well and therefore need to replace them to keep the engine running optimally. Even if you aren’t profusely exercising or spending copious amounts of time in the heat, your body is still living through summer and working round the clock to maintain stasis during the hottest period of the year. There is a giant market for electrolyte beverages out there, most of which contain artificial flavorings and colorants. As with most things, convenience has its price and of course natural alternatives exist. There are various plants you can incorporate into your lifestyle to support hydration through electrolyte balance naturally such as cucumbers, violets, hibiscus, melons, citrus fruits, avocado, bananas, mango, and coconut. Adding these to your water and a pinch of salt can work wonders when you’re trying to make up for lost liters. If drinking salt water isn’t your jam, I’m happy to share a versatile salted honey syrup I keep throughout the season for a quick quench. 

HOW TO HONEY

It’s sweet. It’s hydrating. And it’s full of nutrients to support you during the summer heat. It’s delicious, and that’s an opinion held highly by all sorts of creatures on this earth. This doesn’t change the fact that it’s not exactly easy or fun to mix into cold drinks. The density will increase with the temperature drop and can leave you with golden swirls sinking to the bottom of your glass. The trick to incorporating honey in bevies is to dilute it into a syrup first. Honey is naturally antimicrobial and on its own will maintain shelf stability. Once we add water to it, or anything really, the clock towards expiration starts ticking. I recommend keeping this bottle in the refrigerator so that it is ready to go all summer long, and definitely keep it in a pumping glass bottle for easy use and less mess!

SALTED HONEY SYRUP

½ c Local honey

¼ c Water

1 Lemon, squeezed and strained

1 Orange, squeezed and strained

⅛ tsp Sea salt

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve components. Allow the mixture to cool, then pour into a glass bottle with a pump top. Store in the refrigerator.

SO MANY USES

What you’ve made is an electrolyte syrup, and you can use it to sweeten anything your heart desires. Stirring into still or sparkling water, tea, coffee, and even drizzled over berries or ice cream are just a few of the many ways to use this bright and refreshing, balancing and hydrating wonder syrup. If you were wondering about cocktails, the answer is YES! This syrup makes a delicious start to a fresh squeezed miel margarita (Shake 2 oz tequila + 1 oz salted honey syrup + 0.75 oz fresh lime juice).

BUYING CITRUS FOR SQUEEZING

When we are buying citrus in bulk, sometimes the easier path is to grab the best looking bag of fruits and move on. This can also shave some cents off of the final price, however it comes with a tradeoff. Purchasing citrus for slicing or eating whole is a much different animal than purchasing it for squeezing. If it makes sense for your budget, opt instead to choose citrus fruits individually. Look for the rinds that are smooth and thin, with fruit that is slightly soft to the squeeze. These lovelies will yield the most juice per fruit, as well as go a bit easier on your hands when it comes time to juice.

When foraging wild plants always be completely certain of identification and follow the rule of “when in doubt, don’t”. Only take what is needed, leaving plenty for our native pollinators and fauna. Avoid harvesting from areas which are exposed to pesticides or other chemical applications. The statements in this article are for entertainment purposes only and are not meant to diagnose, treat, or medically advise. Please drink responsibly, you are loved by many.