Sustainable Citrus and Drinks

I LOVE THIS TIME of year when the citrus is so prevalent in Arizona! Lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and clementines can be found in backyards and farmers markets. Even better for our cocktails and the environment, all parts of the citrus fruit are useable, from the aromatic skins to the juice inside.

At Garden Bar PHX, we’re using citrus skins to make an oleo saccharum, candied citrus peels, twists for cocktails and even a citrus stock that we use for flavored water. We’re also making our own lime cordial from the leftover lime husks from squeezed lime juice.

If you have an abundance of citrus, you might want to also consider slicing it into wheels and drying them in a fruit dehydrator. They make lovely drink garnishes and are shelf stable.

Following are our recipes for house-made citrus-based ingredients you can make ahead of time and store for future use, along with our 5-Citrus Margarita, Limeade Gimlet and Poolside Cocktail.