The New Pink Drink – Eastern Redbud Lemonade
At the first sign of spring in North Carolina, pink begins to peek through dormant forests and bare trees. That’s the Eastern Redbud – the first sign that spring is on its way! The flowers on the tree are beautiful to look at, but also completely edible. The bark of the eastern redbud can be brewed into a tea, used medicinally by Indigenous communities for centuries.
Turn foraging into a community activity. Family, friends, and neighbors can enjoy time outdoors, locating and picking flowers. Eastern Redbud flowers are uniquely foragable as they have no known toxic look-a-like, so they can’t be mistaken for something poisonous. This makes them a safe choice if you are looking for an introduction to foraging!
The flowers of the Eastern Redbud are subtle, floral, and can taste tart, which makes them a perfect addition to lemonade. Making lemonade from scratch is a great way to reduce added sugars in your diet. When the Eastern Redbud flower mixes with lemon juice, it changes the PH level of the drink, resulting in a vibrant color and a healthy alternative to artificially-dyed drinks. Join our educators as they forage for flowers and make a bright pink lemonade.
Serving size: 1 cup
Total time: 15 minutes of prep, 12-24 Hours to steep
Materials Needed: Pot, heat-safe jar or container, juicer, strainer, pitcher, spatula, tablespoon, knife
Ingredients:
¼ cup redbud flowers, stems removed
1 cup boiling water
4 lemons, juiced
4 Tablespoons honey
1 cup cold water
1 cup carbonated water
(optional) lemon slices, additional fruit
Directions:
- Rinse redbud flowers in a strainer. Lay flat to dry on a clean towel. Pat lightly to assist drying.
- While the flowers dry, boil a cup of water.
- Place the redbud flowers in a heat-safe jar or container.
- Pour boiling water over the redbud flowers.
- Let cool until the jar/container is comfortable enough to handle, then cover and move to the refrigerator to infuse the redbuds. Let sit to infuse for at least 12 hours to allow flavor and color to develop.
- Remove from the refrigerator and strain. The redbud tea might look very pale and unpromising at this point – that’s okay!
- Add the lemon juice to the infused redbud water and stir well. Due to a reaction that changes the PH, the redbud water should brighten up in color as soon as the lemon juice is added.
- Add honey. Stir well until smooth and combined.
- Add cold water and carbonated water. Mix together.
Optional: add lemon slices or other fruit to the pitcher. Enjoy!
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