somehow through over a year and a half of pandemic, we are still here, the sun rises and sets, and berries come ripe to remind us that there are seasons even when we have difficulty tracking the passage of time. this is your annual reminder to taste the season, pause, savour and perhaps save some for the fall. here on the west coast, it just seems to be heating up for our fall, and we listen for the signs that someday, cooler and moister times will eventually arrive.

 

meanwhile, local farms have done yeomans duty all thru this past year and then some, adapting to provide organic produce in a safe way for their customers and community. a farm visit feels like a treat, an outing, to pick up a box or select produce according to the seasons. now we are in the abundant tomato and strawberry time where it all seems to come ripe at once.

today, i bought extra strawberries, so I can make my first component for a mule, an infused vodka. some batches I might add a few peppercorns, or a vanilla bean, but today these were too perfect, so they will stand alone, submerged for 4-6 days, then strained gently.

the pink liquor will thicken slightly, needs no sweetening, and truth be told, is fine all alone, but then you add lime and ginger beer over ice and sigh.

thanks to Everett Family Farm for these beauties. you can find what’s on the farm by checking their Instagram page

 

you can find details here to infuse your own and then assemble your own Watsonville Mule. you can call it by your local strawberry field if you like – these are from Soquel 🍓

 

meanwhile, be safe, be kind, be here for the next season…