End of Summer Cocktails With Recipe Developer Nasim Lahbichi (Stanley)

Hi! I’m Nasim Lahbichi, and food, culture, and community are what makes me feel the most at peace. Born and raised in Brooklyn, I spent my entire childhood immersed in a melting pot of cultures. Food on any table served as a safe space for me to explore my creativity while simultaneously absorbing the diverse cultures around me. My family also used food as a lens to demonstrate tender love and care for others- inspiring my use of it today as a vessel to express my admiration to the most stubborn of fathers and the closest of friends.

Fast forward to today, my social channels have allowed me to foster a community that honors food, culture, and innovative, plant-based takes on traditional dishes. The content I create is influenced by the kind of experiences I want people to have with every bite or sip.

When it comes to nourishment, I’ve always looked toward seasonality - thinking of how we as a society ebb and flow through the seasons inspires the recipes I share year-round. To me, cocktails are the perfect vessel to experiment with flavors while utilizing the abundance we’re gifted with that season. The end of summer is a unique time that brings feelings of nostalgia and longing- and in my home, the end of summer tastes like a Preserved Lemon Margarita and/or a Moroccan Mint Tea Spritzer - two drinks inspired by my Puerto Rican-Moroccan heritage, full of robust, herbaceous flavors.

A floral and tangy twist on a traditional Mexican cocktail.

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 2-ounces silver tequila
• 1/2 ounce preserved lemon paste
• 1 ounce orange blossom syrup
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• Splash of coconut sparkling water
• Sumac-Sugar, for rim garnish
  • 2 tablespoons sumac
  • 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• Lemon slice, for garnish

Directions: 

1. To Prepare Your Glass (optional): Coat the rim of your glass. Run a lemon wedge around rim of your glass and pour the sumac-sugar onto a plate. Dip the rim into the sumac-sugar until coated. Set aside.
2. To Make The Margarita: Add tequila, preserved lemon paste, orange blossom syrup, lemon juice, and a couple of ice cubes to a shaker. Shake for about 10 seconds until combined. Give the drink a taste and stir in more orange blossom syrup if desired.
3. To Serve: Fill the serving glass with ice cubes. Strain the margarita mix into the glass and garnish with a lemon slice. Serve and dive in!

To Make Orange Blossom Syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom water

1. In a small saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat. Simmer until sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water. Let cool and store in a sterilized airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Unlike my mother's side of the family, where margaritas are enjoyed, Moroccans often discourage alcohol consumption, following Islamic tradition in the community. Instead, Moroccan mint tea is a traditional staple after a meal. The boldness of gunpowder green tea is mellowed by fresh sprigs of spearmint and the sweetness of a sugar cube.

This mocktail also welcomes two flavors that embody the artistry of Moroccan cuisine: almonds and orange blossom water in the form of silky-sweet orgeat syrup. The result is a refreshing concentrate that is perfected with a splash of seltzer.

A Moroccan-inspired spritzer that’s equal parts effervescent and refreshing

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 16 ounces cardamom-infused Moroccan mint tea (see notes)
• 4 to 6 ounces orgeat, depending on desired sweetness
• Sparkling water, to top off drink
• Fresh sprig of mint, for garnish
• Lime twist, for garnish 

Directions:

1. In a pitcher, combine the lime juice, cardamom-infused Moroccan mint tea (see notes), orgeat together until combined. Taste and add more orgeat if more sweetness is desired
2. Optional: Salt the rim of your serving glasses by running a wedge of lime around the rim and coating in salt.
3. Pour into prepared serving glass. Top off with 1 to 2 ounces of sparkling water. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime twist. Serve and dive in!

Cardamom-Infused Moroccan Mint Tea

• 5 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon gunpowder green tea leaves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 large handful of fresh spearmint leaves
• 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Add tea leaves to the teapot and pour 1 cup boiling water over them, swirling gently to rinse the tea. Strain and discard water, reserving the tea leaves in the pot. Add cardamom pods.
2. Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the tea and cardamom, letting it steep for 2 mins. Stir in sugar and mint leaves, let steep for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve