THE FRUIT ABIDES....
origins
This is the famous CR Citrus from Smokin’ Connie. You might be wondering how this side hustle became a reality.
In November 2017, I visited my old man’s childhood home on Campus Road in Eagle Rock. The house tells a story of its own; yet, I was drawn to the mature Meyer Lemon trees in the backyard. Within a week, life gave me lemons and a Traeger and the rest of the story is being written.
I now contract with citrus farms in Southern and Central California. In most instances this citrus has made the journey directly from grove to my smoker to your cocktail within a week. Each piece of fruit is hand sliced. Some end up imperfect in shape which is fine with me.
are you thirsty?
My guess is that if you’ve received these nuggets of sunshine you know your way around a cocktail. This citrus partners well with bourbon, tequila, rum, vodka and gin. Here’s how we do,
- Place a small piece of citrus in your cocktail shaker. The flavors are released as you shake.
- Place a large ice cube in your glass.
- Find a big ol’ slice of citrus and place on your cube.
- Strain drink…..I think you know the rest.
That citrus will drop some sweet smokiness in your glass for a couple hours. Feel free to use it for your second round. Pro tip: go ahead and eat the fruit- you’re welcome!
storage
- You might find that you can’t polish off a bag of these slices in one weekend. Here are some storage tips;
- Take your remaining fruit and place in an airtight container.
- I always encourage folks to store them in the fridge.
- They can even be stored in freezer.
- They should stay fresh for approximately four months but can be compromised if left in the heat.