The Basics: Oleo Saccharum
The Reading & Drinking: Basics series is designed to explain and explore fundamental recipes and tools for making cocktails. This series looks at the often overlooked and highly necessary components for making cocktails, at home or elsewhere!
This Basics will explore Oleo Saccharums, a syrup made by macerating citrus peels with sugar. Sugar is hydrophilic, like salt, so it will pull oils and moisture from the citrus peels making a thick, citrus-flavored sugar syrup that was traditionally used in punches. The process back then was to muddle and macerate peels with the sugar in a bowl and leave it overnight, then combine the oleo with other ingredients, usually rum and cognac and fruit juices. Bartenders use vacuum sealing to do the work now, making the process a little easier to keep an eye on. You can also use a ziplock bag if you don’t have a vacuum sealer, just push the air from the bag.
Lemon & Lime Peels sealed with sugar.
Lime Peel Oleo
Lemon Peel Oleo
Oleo For All!
The process is easy, and it’s a great way to get more from your citrus than just juice. Peel your citrus, trying to avoid as much pith as possible, weigh the peels in grams, and combine them with an equal amount of sugar, by weight. Let the mixture rest for at least 24 hours but letting it sit longer won’t hurt anything. There’s so much sugar, that the mixture is anti-bacterial in the short term. Strain off the liquid when your ready, and you can cook the peels and leftover solid sugar in a simple syrup to fully use them up. Or you can let the peels dry and harden into candy.
You can use any sort of sugar, too. White sugar will keep the flavor bright and crisp while brown sugar will bring those dark, unctuous molasses tones to the party which is perfect for orange or lemon peels. You can sneak some herbs into the mix, too. Grapefruit & rosemary oleo is great with gin, or lemon & sage is a good way to add depth to a whiskey cocktail.
The great thing about this process is that you can make an Oleo Saccharum from nearly anything with moisture in it: bananas & banana peels, strawberries, sweet potato, anything. You don’t end up with a lot of syrup, but what you do have is very flavorful and shelf stable thanks to the high amount of sugar. After a while, some oils will rise to the surface but that’s okay, just give your oleo a shake to incorporate.
Oleo Cocktails
Lemon & Lime Oleo Saccharum, strained and bottled.
The classic recipe to call for Oleo Saccharum is, of course, the Dickensian Punch or any other similarly built bowl of punch. There are, of course, other applications for the bright and delicious syrup you’ve now created!
Flavored Soda
There’s nothing better than making (and serving to guests) your own, homemade soda. It’s light and refreshing, and you know exactly what’s going into the mix. It’s also a great base for a simple, but refined, cocktail.
2oz Oleo Saccharum (Any Variety)
4 to 6oz Soda Water (or Tonic)
(Optional) 1 to 2 dashes of Aromatic Bitters
Add the bitters and Oleo to a glass then pour the soda water on top, add ice and give it a stir.
Cocktail: Hot Toddy
The Hot Toddy is a classic for a reason. Much like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan, the simplicity of this soul-warming cocktail is what makes it a winter’s dream for the sore-throated and the frost-bitten alike. A mix of whiskey, Oleo Saccharum, and hot water or tea, it’s a cocktail that’s sure to have you yelling at trick-or-treaters or holiday carolers no time!
Hot Toddy
1.5oz Whiskey (Whatever you prefer)
1oz Lemon or Orange Oleo Saccharum
4oz Hot Water or Hot Tea
Add all ingredients to your glass or mug and give a quick stir to incorporate.
Cocktail: Twinkle Toes
Twinkle Toes is a Ballerina with a slight twist—or is it a pirouette?—but, essentially, they’re the same drink. A light, low-proof sipper, Twinkle Toes uses an Orange Oleo Saccharum in place of grapefruit-rosemary, and the sparkling wine is whatever you’ve got handy. Heck, you could use just soda water if you wanted! Still, the cocktail is clever, light on it’s feet and refreshing.
Twinkle Toes
1oz Sweet Vermouth
0.5oz Orange Oleo Saccharum
2 dashes Orange Bitters
0.5oz Soda Water
4oz Sparkling wine
Mint & Lemon wedges for garnish
Add all ingredients (except the mint) to your glass and then add ice; give a stir to incorporate then garnish with mint.
Cocktail: An Idea of Havana
An Idea of Havana is like a Daiquiri and an Old Fashioned had a baby. Aged rum and lime Oleo come together with bitters to make a light, warm evening sipper.
An Idea of Havana
2oz Aged Rum (or a Blend of Rums)
0.5oz Lime Oleo Saccharum
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Aztec Chocolate Bitters
Add all ingredients to a tin and then add ice, then stir for 30-40 turns.
Pour into a glass and garnish with some mint leaves or lime wheel.