Inspired by LOTR, this miruvor recipe steeps floral jasmine and sweet honey and adds a touch of vinegar for balance. Part tisane, part shrub, the result is a completely enticing, intoxicatingly aromatic, non-alcoholic beverage that you can enjoy hot or cold. And you can easily turn it into a cocktail if you like!
Steep. Add the hot water, jasmine buds, and sugar (or honey) to a medium glass bowl; stir. Let it sit (uncovered) at room temperature until cooled, about 1 hour to 90 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
Strain. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined mesh sieve, discarding the buds.
Finishing touches. Stir in the vinegar and orange blossom water. Taste and adjust the flavorings if desired.
Serve. Serve chilled or warmed.
Notes
Storage: Store in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 2 cups total, or 4 (1/2-cup) servings.
Serving Tip: My favorite way to serve this drink is chilled with a mix of 2 parts miruvor to 1 part sparkling water over ice.
To Use Fresh Jasmine Flowers: Use 1 cup of fresh, food-grade jasmine buds and gently rinse them under cool running water. Add 3 cups of room temperature filtered water and the prepped jasmine flowers to a medium glass bowl, agitate gently, cover, and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. Proceed with the rest of the recipe, adding the honey (or agave nectar) later along with the vinegar and orange blossom water. (TIP: If you're serving this cold, gently warm the honey to help it dissolve before stirring it in.)
To Make a Miruvor Cocktail: Add 4 ounces of chilled miruvor and 1 shot (1.5 fluid ounces) of gin to a cocktail glass. You can add ice if you like (or a single large ice sphere). Lastly, to really gild the lily and bump up the floral component, you can optionally add a shot of elderflower liqueur (or another fragrant, flowery or fruity liqueur).