"St.Germain" news and stories

Homemade mustard and ketchup. Photo: YumSugar

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Forget that stuff on the shelf. This summer, make your own ketchup and mustard.

Going vintage can make for a stylish bachelorette party.

Fresh tomatoes are hard to resist, but for a warm alternative try Gratin of Tomato and Bread.

Jicama turns tired coleslaw into a sprightly condiment or side dish.

Eating fruit becomes even more fun when you make it a taste test.

The St. Germain Cocktail is a refreshing mix of sparkling white wine, St. Germain and club soda.

Rare to well-done ... How do you order your burger?

I have always enjoyed eating or drinking things with floral notes. As a kid, I loved getting those little oval tins of Violet Pastilles in my Christmas stocking and as I got older, I gravitated towards teas made with lavender buds. When I heard that St-Germain liqueur was made from elderflowers, I knew it was my destiny to try it.

Upon opening the bottle, the first thing I noticed was the gentle, floral scent. It had me tumbling through memories, recalling grassy fields, golden light and those violet candies I mentioned above. Taking a tiny, straight sip, I imagined elegant ladies taking a thimbleful in the afternoon, telling all who were in their company that it was medicinal, but enjoying their tipple immensely.

Coming back to the present, I mixed a generous half inch of St-Germain with fresh sparkling water (I have one of those Soda Club machines, and it is one of the best things to ever enter my kitchen) and added a squeeze of lemon (if you want to be fancy, I'm told that adding a couple of ounces of champagne makes it even better). The first sip sent bubbles up my nose, filled my palate with the scent of fresh, sweet flowers and made me feel like I was drinking the best, most sophisticated soda ever. I've never been one of those people who had a signature drink, but now I realize that was because I just hadn't found it yet.

If you're intrigued, make sure to check out Jonathan's review of St-Germain, as well as a variety of recipes that we posted last year.

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