At our core, we are all balance. It’s how we are meant to exist, it is necessary to our survival. It is how we choose to live our lives, in the most simplest of forms, that take this delicate rhythm away from it’s natural state. As I was creating this recipe, it struck me, like a huge truck in fact, I am truly the epitome of a libra and a middle child, through and through. I like when things are even and balanced, I like to see all sides, I like the middle and I love the way life feels when equanimity is at the forefront. The scales may flutter about, but ultimately I don’t feel right when my life is not in balance. I firmly believe that when life is imbalanced, this is when we suffer mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When I am not in balance, I am not connected to the world. When I am not connected to the world, I get lost in myself and it never ends well.

This Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail is just another example of how I truly embody the idea of balance, even in the most casual of moments in life. It’s something I crave even in the play time, I seek it and I am drawn to it, oftentimes in a completely subconscious manner. I’m sure, if you’ve been visiting this website for sometime, you see these very trends in my food. Many paleo recipes, yet lots of vegan, after many grain-free recipes will might find some grains, with a dozen vegan recipes, you’ll log on to find meatballs. There are sweets, but after too many, you won’t find them for a while. Many times I add a food to a recipe, just for a balance in color. I like to include ingredients that offer a compliment to balance another strong element. This is just how I live my life. Sometimes this need for balance will even show up in a dessert like a cake with some greens snuck into it or cookies with zucchini. It’s balance. My body craves it. The extremes, they just don’t work for me.

This delicate balancing act, the feeling when everything is perfectly aligned and the need for it in my life, these are likely the exact reasons why I found and fell in love with yoga nearly 10 years ago. Finding the balance of effort and ease within every posture and the practice as a whole, has taught me so much off of my mat, it’s taught me so much in the kitchen, about my health, about my relationships, life and living.

It quite rare these days that I imbibe in a cocktail, I enjoy the occasional glass of wine with a really nice meal and now and again I’ll indulge in a well-crafted cocktail. To me a great mixologist is just as impressive as a well-trained chef, a well-made cocktail as enjoyable as a delicious perfectly crafted dish. On the rare occasions when I am designing a cocktail at home, I am intuitively drawn to ingredients that lead to balance. Likely because I am aware that indulging in alcohol can generally lead to some not-so-great feelings. I find myself reaching for coconut water or other mixers that provide rehydration, ginger beer or bitters for digestion or one of my favorites, kombucha, The probiotic gut benefits of this fermented the drink always offer me the ease of mind, knowing that I am still doing some good, while I indulge. “Detox / Retox” my friend Gina and I always call it.

This cocktail celebrates the flavors of the swing season while balancing the alcohol with the kombucha. Rich and warming dark spiced rum, with the earthy, sweet, fig simple syrup are balanced by the bright, fresh flavor from the fresh valencia orange juice and the tart flavor of the kombucha. Together this combination offers the perfect compliment to the end of summer and start of fall. Balance.

[print_this]When Figs Fly // Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail
serves 1

• 3 teaspoons fig simple syrup (see below)
• 2 ounces spiced rum
• 2 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice
• Whole ice and crushed ice
• Kombucha (original unflavor recommended – I used Fine Feather’s Original Rooibos )
• for serving: fresh fig, quartered

Add the fig syrup, spiced rum, orange juice and a few whole ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously.

Strain into a glass with crushed ice and top with kombucha. Serve with a fresh fig. [/print_this]

[print_this]Fig Simple Syrup

• 12 ounces fresh figs, stems removed and quartered (about 6)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (raw sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple sugar, etc)
• 3/4 cup filtered water

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar starts to dissolves and figs begin to soften. Mash the figs as they cook. Once all of the sugar has dissolved and figs are breaking apart, remove from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 30 minutes. Cool completely before straining into a clean jar or bottle, cover and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Note: I prefer to use coconut sugar [/print_this]

 

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

#DRINKTHESUMMER

I am super excited to be teaming up with a whole bunch of kick-ass bloggers today for a collection of delicious summer cocktail recipes. You can check them all out here: