10 BEAUTIFUL SUMMER SOUL RECIPES
The most beautiful gardens are feasts for the senses. We’ve gathered a basketful of 10 garden inspired recipes that will treat all five, and then some! Each features gorgeous edible blossoms and delicate flavors, for cocktails, sweet treats, and nibbles that look super-pretty, smell lovely, and taste divine! They feel like a kiss of summer!
Cool off with a refreshing sorbet, with lemon, grapefruit and lilac. Indulge in a cake that serves up the delicate flavors of lemon, elderflower, and mascarpone -- a nod to Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s Royal wedding cake.
Quench your summer thirst with unusual cocktails the combine fruit, herbs, and flowers for new spins on some old favorites. Crispy zucchini blossoms are perfect snack accompaniments.
It’s garden party time! Enjoy! Check out the recipes below.
This Lemon Grapefruit and Lilac Sorbet, by Renee Byrd, of Will Frolic for Food, is perfectly refreshing. It’s surprisingly creamy, given that it’s dairy-free, so it’s incredibly light, yet feels decadent.
With fresh floral head notes of elderflower and musky lilac blossoms, offset by lively citrus, this is a perfect treat after a garden stroll or a breezy al fresco summer supper.
Get the recipe here.
Inspired by a bumper crop of elderflowers from her garden trees, this gorgeous Elderflower, Lemon, & Mascarpone Cake, by Louise, of Cygnet Kitchen, is the perfect amount of garden decadence.
The fragrant homemade elderflower cordial and lemon syrup add a splash of fresh-from-the-garden taste, while the rich mascarpone and cream icing satisfies even the most intense dessert craving.
Get the recipe here.
This Summer Garden Gin Fizz, by Finn Haddock, of Port & Fin, is deliciously aromatic, with floral resinous lavender mingled with muddled basil, topped with an unexpected dash of sophisticated peach bitters. Use your best floral gin for this beautiful garden quaff.
Get the recipe here.
If you’re crazy for flowers, like we are, you won’t be able to resist this Wild Rose Petal Sangria, by Sylvia Fountaine, of Feasting at Home and Feast Catering Company. Just whip up a simple rose petal syrup, splash some elderflower liqueur into some good rosé, and voilà! Enjoy the most beautiful pink sangria, straight from your own garden!
Get the recipe here.
This Lilac Pisco Cocktail, from Eden Passanante, of Sugar and Charm, will flood your taste buds with a fresh garden bouquet of lilac, elderflower, mint, and lemon, for a beautiful twist on the South American Pisco Sour.
Get the recipe here.
This English Country Garden Cocktail, from Laura, of A Girl and Her Home, is a perfect drink to sip at an afternoon garden picnic. The simple flavors of elderflower, refreshing mint, and tart apple juice complement each other beautifully. Simply leave out the gin for a delicious chaste version.
The Moscow Mule’s prettier sister has just arrived. This Garden Party Mule, from Elsie Larson, of A Beautiful Mess, will give you an unforgettable buzz. Heavenly rosemary and mint marry with cooling cucumber, while edible flowers add a delicate, and beautifully scented, garnish.
Get the recipe here.
For another twist on the Moscow Mule that you can make with homegrown garden ingredients, try this version of a Cucumber Blueberry Mule Cocktail, by Kim, of Something New For Dinner, featured on Food 52. Muddled blueberries, cucumber, and mint add a dash of intrigue to the Mule’s traditional tart lime and ginger flavors.
Get the recipe here.
Calling all mojito lovers: this twist on the classic Cuban drink just got even more summery. A Blackberry Basil Mojito, from Dana, of Minimalist Baker, combines garden-fresh herbs and fruits with that mint and lime that we all know and love.
Get the recipe here.
Do you know how to tell a male from a female squash blossom? It matters! Because the females are the ones that turn into squash!
Food52 can show you the way so you pick only the male blossoms. They also share some beautiful ideas to help you transform them into a delicate silky soup, earthy squash blossom pesto, omelette, or risotto, that taste like sunshine on a plate!
Get the recipes here.
Read more about Summer Soul in Beautiful Places to Recharge Soul, Indulge in the Beauty of Slow Travel, Soulful Summer Wonderlands, 10 Most Gorgeous Glamping Spots and 10 Best Places to Camp Under the Stars.
And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Wellness, Impact, Nature/Science, Food, Arts/Design, and Travel, Daily Fix posts.
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- Photo: by Renee Byrd, of Will Frolic For Food. “Lemon Grapefruit & Lilac Sorbet.”
- Photo: by Renee Byrd, of Will Frolic For Food. “Lemon Grapefruit & Lilac Sorbet.”
- Photo: by Louise, of Cygnet Kitchen. “Elderflower, Lemon & Mascarpone Cake.”
- Photo: by Finn Haddock, of Port & Fin. “Summer Garden Gin Fizz.”
- Photo: by Sylvia Fountaine, of Feasting at Home. “Wild Rose Petal Sangria.”
- Photo: by Eden Passante, of Sugar and Charm. “Lilac Pisco Cocktail.”
- Photo: by Laura, of A Girl and Her Home. “English Country Garden Cocktail.”
- Photo: by Elsie Larson, of A Beautiful Mess. “Garden Party Mule Cocktail.”
- Photo: by James Ransom. Courtesy of Food 52. “Cucumber Blueberry Mule Cocktail.”
- Photo: by Dana, of Minimalist Baker. “Blackberry Basil Mojito.”
- Photo: by James Ransom. Courtesy of Food 52. “Squash Blossoms.”
- Photo: by James Ransom. Courtesy of Food 52. “Squash Blossoms.”
- Photo: by Louise, of Cygnet Kitchen. “Elderflower, Lemon & Mascarpone Cake.”
- Photo: by Laura, of A Girl and Her Home. “English Country Garden Cocktail.”
