Sumac “Lemonade”

Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum), Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), and Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) each produce differently arranged clusters of red berries that ripen between August and October.  These striking red, slightly fuzzy, berries can be steeped in water to make Sumac Lemonade, or “Sumac-ade” as we call it, which has a wonderfully tart flavor like lemonade, or they can be dried and ground to make a lemon-like seasoning for meat dishes and salads.  Ground sumac berries are actually one of the main ingredients in the middle eastern spice Za’atar that can be found in many grocery stores.  Always make sure you’ve identified the right kind of sumac (not the kind that causes blisters like poison ivy).  Edible sumac and poison sumac look entirely different although the names can be misleading.   To make “Sumac-ade” you’ll have to get to the berries before the birds do, so watch their ripening stage closely.  Pick clusters of berries as soon as they reach their rich, dark red color and have a tart flavor.  If they are red, but not tart, give them a little longer.  Don’t wash them with vigor before using so that you don’t wash away the outer malic acid coating that gives the berries their flavor.  If it has rained heavily recently, you’ll also need to give the berries a few days to redevelop their sourness for the same reason.  A quick, gentle rinse will do if absolutely necessary.

Caution: Sumac belongs to the Anacardiaceae plant family, which includes cashews, pistachios, and mangos.  If you’re allergic to any of these, you may have a reaction to sumac berries also.  Medicinally, sumac berries have blood sugar lowering potential, so should be used with caution by people on medication that already adjusts their blood sugar.  Berries can also interfere with blood thinning medications.

Sumac-ade

1 large cluster of sumac berries

2 cups of water

Pick berries off the stem.  Place water and berries in a wide mouth vessel and gently crush the berries with a potato masher or similar tool to begin releasing their flavor. Cover and allow the berries to infuse in the water for 6-8 hours or overnight. The longer they soak, the stronger the flavor.  If you don’t have that long, double the amount of berries.  Strain the infusion through cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or piece of muslin to remove the little hairs, then sweeten to taste and serve over ice.  There’s no wrong combination in the amount of berries to water, so you can take liberties with this recipe to suit your flavor preferences.