I think Mother Nature and Persephone are keeping each other company these days. Mother Nature has not been answering my calls. I’ve asked for snow here in North Carolina (don’t hate on me, Boston). Since the only flakes we’ve seen have been in the legislature, I figured we’ll pass through winter without any wintry mix. I called on Mother Nature again to just go ahead and bring on spring if we aren’t getting any snow. She teased us last Sunday, a glorious sunny day when even I didn’t don a jacket.
But still, Mother Nature ain’t listening. I’m going to give Persephone a ring.
When I was in graduate school for integrated marketing communications at Northwestern, we had to create a company and product based on the humble orange. We thought our professor was nuts but we rocked the assignment. My team saved orange peels, peeled ever so carefully to remain in one piece. We dried the peels and crafted them in accessories, think earrings, bracelets, small handbags, and even a pair of sandals. I really wish I had some photos of those marvelous items. Tim Gunn would have swooned, I swear. We named our company Persephone. Never mind that Persephone ate a pomegranate. This was the middle of winter in Chicago so we were all afflicted with spring fever. I get that orange season is indeed in winter, but something about that citrusy zest tastes of warmer weather. Plus, pomegranates are expensive, and we were grad students.
I’ve decided to do my own version of a rain dance sort of ritual to beckon spring and channel Persephone. Instead of dancing I’m shaking, cocktails that is. Also, instead of rain I’m asking for sun. OK, maybe the rain dance analogy isn’t all that accurate, but you get the drift.
I’m infusing some vodka with nature’s sunshine, oranges. Just fill a large mason jar with good quality vodka and add about 3 orange peels. Let it sit in a cool, dark place for five days or so. Then remove the peels, and it’s ready to go. This citrusy drink will taste of summer’s freshness without being cloying. I’ll drink it on the rocks or with a splash of cranberry juice. I’ll also add an ounce to a mimosa to give it an extra pop. And just think of it mixed with orange juice and frozen for an adult popsicle!