Sumac Lemonade
1/4 c Sumac concentrate (in frig)
1/4 c Pineapple juice
1/2 c Herbal wine vinegar
2 T Peanut oil
2 T Bee Balm honey
1 T Tamari soy sauce
1/2 t freshly ground Pepper
2 t Kudzu powder mixed with 4 t cold water
Mix first 6 ingredients bring to boil. Stir in Kudzu thickener mixture; until sauce is clear and slightly thickened.
Nutrition Facts
Sumac berries: a wonderful lemon substitute, high in Vitamin C, collect berries in late summer when bright red, before bugs take up residence! and before a heavy rain where much of the folic acid can be washed away. Dry them for use all winter long.
Fill a pitcher with 6 or so berry clusters, pour cold water over them, crush up with your hand, then let the pitcher sit in a cool place. Pouring boiling or hot water over the berries leaches the tannins from the stems and causes the drink to become bitter. The longer the berries infuse, the stronger the drink will be. When the flavor is just right, strain the drink through a cheesecloth to remove seeds and hairs. Add sugar or honey to taste.
Can also make jellies, syrups and an excellent wine with sumac. Euell Gibbons recommended using sumac-ade instead of plain water to boil elderberry and other fruits that need a touch of tartness to liven them up for using in jam or jelly. Also, the young, thick, tender tips of sumac shoots (especially staghorn) in early summer can be peeled and eaten raw or cooked. They are sweet and delicious, much like raspberry stalks.
Sumac is related to cashews and mangoes and Poison Ivy! Anyone allergic to those foods should avoid it or at least be cautious
