Quick post this morning as shit is real hectic right now. Bunch of stuff, almost too much stuff. Nectarines, apricots, mouse melons, blueberries, and some rhubarb. Most of this is already being used in some form. Well, two out of five. The rhubarb, mini melons, and nectarines not so much. As I tried to prep last night, it seemed the world was against me trying to get it all done. I think I’m easy to talk to, because every conversation between myself and a guest last night was long and involved. Very hard to break away. Solo diners and not enough people at the bar to use the old bartender Jedi Mind Trick of getting people to talk to each other so they wouldn’t have to talk to me.

The apricots became syrup. No heat. Equal parts sugar and orange flesh in the blender then through the looking glass of the chinois. I’m against using heat for syrups as much as possible. It’s necessary in some cases like sherbet (unfortunately) but I think it detracts and minimizes the flavor. Apricots are beginning to wane a bit now. They’re more sweet, less tart, and getting a little mushier and grainy. This will be the last batch. Time’s flying. It’s almost August. What the hell happened? Before we know it, it’ll be tiki season. Oh yes. Can you see me wringing my hands like a Bond Villain?

The mouse melons got vinegar pickled for use in a future garnish or to just sit in the walk in until they’re forgotten. Yeah, I’m being brutally honest with myself here. These were a bit of an impulse buy. Cool to look at but they serve no purpose whatsoever. The knick knack of the fruit world.

I purposely bought slightly unripe nectarines for use as a garnish in what I’m hoping will be the next rum cocktail. In the old days, agrodolce was a big thing. I don’t think chefs use it anymore. I love it as a garnish, and I love the name as it sounds menacing, but no one actually seems to eat the garnish. At least they didn’t last year when I did this. I don’t know anymore. It’ll look cool and satisfy my urge to include a pickle of the seasonal ingredient with the cocktail which I always want to do. I’ve got this whole molasses thing in my head right now. Rum. we have no rum drinks right now.

The blueberries are for the blaperol which didn’t go through a secondary fermentation. No idea why. They did it with strawberries though. Who knows? Does it have something to do with amount of sugar? Yeast? I’ve really got to research this at some point. The interwebs tells me nothing. I guess it’s my own thing. Maybe I dreamt it and it never actually happened.

Last but not least, the rhubarb. Let me tell you budding and new bartenders what a crazy pain in the ass this stuff is. Whatever you do, don’t put it through your juicer. Rhubarb is very fibrous. Think ginger on steroids. It may have to be cooked. The last time I used it was two years ago and it was such an annoyance I vowed to never use it again. Here we are. It reminds me of my childhood. My mom had a huge garden and rhubarb was always the first thing up in the spring after the thaw, after Vermont’s fifth season following winter, mud season. The west coast rhubarb can’t hold a candle to the sourness of the east coast stuff, but I tasted this batch and it was ok. Strawberry rhubarb pie is still my favorite with a side of vanilla ice cream. This will be the initial idea.