At our place, in late summer, we always see these strange avacado-looking fruits on the hill behind our house and it took a couple years for me to figure out that these are Maypops, the South’s native Passion Fruit. And are almost as tasty as the Hawaiian version. So this year we were determined to use these in something. Maypop is sweet and slightly floral. So we decided on a simple syrup infused with them. I mean, we love to drink don’t we?
Pretty simple process here so I won’t bother with the whole recipe thing.
Just sterilize a jar or bottle first with boiling water. Then boil 2C water, 2C Sugar, 1C Maypop Pulp (just slice in half and dig out the pulpy seed), 2T lemon Juice. When a rolling boil starts, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then pour up your simple syrup (see and all because the crunchy see are eatable). And think of a great way to utilize. Since it was only 10AM, this is a virgin mocktail. Put about a tsp of syrup in a shaker with ice and some lemon balm (we love our lemon balm and are sad that frost will soon kill it). Shake it like the devil and put in a cocktail glass and top off with soda. Later in the day, we would recommend a lightly floral gin or vodka be added to the shaker as well. Enjoy!
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The Virgin Maypop Cocktail
NOTE: These Maypops are a little under-ripe. You should wait until they are turning yellow before harvesting. But two factors made us pick them early. 1. Frost will soon knock back the plants and we were afraid it would damage the fruit. 2. We have field mice on the hill behind our house and they love passion fruit so it is a race to get them first.
