I have had jam-packed work weeks getting ready for our gallery reopening at the end of the month, so I granted myself a relaxing sunday with no plans other than reading the paper and puttering around the kitchen. It turned into the day of the loquat, as my tree is overflowing with ripe fruit ready to be eaten. With fantasies of refreshing afternoon cocktails in mind, I decided to make loquat syrup. I put together the easy syrup in under an hour.

1. Take however many loquats you have on hand, halve them and remove the seeds.

2. Place halves in a sauce pot or pan big enough to contain them. Add filtered water to just below where the loquats come up in the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a med, enough to keep the boil, but not scorch the bottom. After 10 min or so use a potato masher and smash down your loquats. Boil for another 5-10 min, then remove from heat.

3. Mash fruit one more time and then strain solids from the liquid. Measure how much liquid you have and multiply it by .75. That’s how much sugar you should add.

4. Melt the sugar in the loquat juice over med-low heat and then raise heat to med-high to bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Will keep in the fridge for about a week or you can freeze cubes of the syrup if you’d like for future drinks and projects.

Mix two spoonfuls of syrup mixed with sparkling water and lemon. Served over ice.

FOR LOQUAT ROSE COCKTAIL:
Mix two spoonfuls of syrup mixed with a shot of vodka, the juice of a lime, a splash of rose water and ice. Topped with sparkling water and served in glass rimmed with rose sugar and finished with a lime wedge. Enjoy!