One of Summer’s Forgotten Secrets

By Claudia (TP Gardener)

While strolling in and around the Tyler Place, you might have noticed the beautiful, bright red berry  cones on the Staghorn Sumac trees.

Sumac is a well known feature of the North American landscape, and yet  few people know that these little trees have provided a delicious and refreshing summer drink throughout much of the world for thousands of years.
Yes, there is one poisonous sumac but you probably won’t ever see it and it really doesn’t look like the rest of the sumacs. It resembles an alder, has white berries that grow out of leaf axils and prefers to live deep in swamps, meaning you will have to wade to find it.
The past  hot  summer days at TP had a great impact on the ripening process of the Sumac berries, so I couldn’t resist to pick the first dark red berry clusters.
I take my half-dozen berry clusters, cram them into a pitcher, pour cold water over them, crush them up a little with my hand, and then let the pitcher sit in a cool place for a while.  The longer the berries infuse, the stronger the drink will be. When the flavor is to your liking, just strain the drink through a cheesecloth to remove seeds and hairs. Sumac-ade is pleasantly tart with a light pink color. Some people add sugar, but I prefer it without.
If you are unsure when to pick your berries, just touch your finger to a berry then your finger to your tongue  to test, but not right after a rain, which washes off the citric acid.

You can also prepare it the early pioneer/ native American way:

1 quart of sumac berries
1 gallon water
sugar to taste
Bring water to a boil
Place sumac in a large teapot or non-metal container
Pour boiling water over the sumac
Steep for 20minutes - 2 hours
Strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter
Enjoy over ice
Add sparkling water for a little fizz
Enjoy!

**Please be aware that Sumac is related to cashews and mangoes, anyone allergic to those foods should avoid it, or proceed with extreme caution.