Sage-Juniper Syrup

Flavors of the high desert add nuance to cocktails like the New England Buck.

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
5 fresh sage leaves
10 juniper berries (dried ones are available at many gourmet groceries)

Heat ingredients in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes, then strain into a clean glass container. Keeps refrigerated for up to a month.

Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, Cambridge, MA