Lemon & Thyme Oleo

Cara Devine

Ingredients

	peel of 5 lemons
	2 thyme sprigs
	200g granulated white sugar, plus extra if needed to fully cover the peels
	EQUIPMENT
	Peeler
	scale
	bowl or jar
	muddler
	strainer

NOTE

You can keep the peels and dehydrate them in a food dehydrator or low oven then blitz them to make a candied lemon powder to garnish the rims of your glasses.

TRY INSTEAD

Literally any other citrus will work in this recipe, and you can omit the thyme or experiment with other herbs or spices. I often like to mix citruses and it’s a good way to experiment with more expensive or seasonal fruits, such as blood orange or yuzu, too.

PAIRS WELL WITH

You can tailor this to suit most spirits, but this particular recipe works with vodka, London Dry or contemporary gin, lighter rum, blanco or aged tequila, mezcal, brandy and rye whiskey

This is very much a recipe template; all manner of citrus and accent flavourings can be used.

PREP
Peel lemons and trim as much white pith off as possible. Thyme can be picked or left whole.

Instructions

1.	Add the lemon peels, thyme and sugar to a bowl or jar and muddle (using a wooden spoon if you don’t have a muddler) to start releasing the citrus oils.
2.	Cover and leave overnight, stirring (if in a bowl) or shaking (if in a jar) occasionally.
3.	Once the sugar has almost fully dissolved, give it a final stir and strain the peels (see Note) and thyme out.
4.	It will be thicker than a syrup – more of a sludge – but very potent.
5.	STORE
6.	In a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

This is an edited
extract from Behind
the Home Bar
by Cara Devine,
published by
Hardie Grant
Books, RRP: $36.99,
photography by
Gareth Sobey.

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