Making Sumacade from Staghorn Sumac

Up Canada way, in a village on the 45th parallel lies a stunningly beautiful peninsular replete with staghorn sumac. The branches with its signature: conical, deep red, fuzzy seed heads, from which it derives it name, bob and weave from the powerful winds off the lake on the Niagara Escarpment. This is the ideal habitat of Staghorn Sumac.

What is Staghorn sumac?

Staghorn sumac, Lat. Rhus typhina is a deciduous shrub.

Family: Anacardiaceae or cashew family

Its flourishes is along forest edges, and will take over if allowed to spread. It can grow up to 40 ft. in height.

It is a tree beneficial to winter wildlife.

It grows on rocky soil and that is why it flourishes in this area.

I kept hearing about a lemonade type drink made from this plant which was originally made by many first nations peoples.

Dried sumac clusters are also ground into a powder and used in the Middle Eastern cuisine as an ingredient in spice blends.

Staghorn is not poison sumac

It is so common that once you see the pictures you will say, “I know that plant.” As soon as people hear sumac they immediately think of poison sumac, especially if they have had a run in with it. Staghorn is a totally different plant, there is no relationship.

When new to foraging, the advice is always to check with someone experienced if you are not sure, and do your own research. If you use it, start with small quantities and see how you react to it. This is part of our relearning our relationship with natural world.

Each plant teaches us what it wants us to know. The lesson for any student is to start with respect for the plant.

When foraging and enjoying the fruits of nature it is always good to be mindful that it is a gift and show gratitude via respect.

I charged through a sumac patch in a rush to gather clusters before the rain, with only thoughts of taking and not thanking. Today I have worse than normal hay fever. Coincidence?

“The dream of nature is a complex web of mutuality in which each part supports the other.”

― Eliot Cowan, Plant Spirit Medicine

How to make sumacade

There are many versions of this wonderful drink and I encourage you to do your own research until you find the right one for you.

Some people pick sumac and put in warm water and leave it like a sun tea, then strain and sweeten. Some dry the conical seed pods and then pick and soak the seeds in water.

Here is my fusion method, as someone who grew up routinely making drinks from sorrel/hibiscus, ginger, carrots, sour sap, tamarind etc.

Sometimes you don’t know how much knowledge you have attained throughout the years until you see it in front of your eyes.

The secret is to keep it simple. The issue with the sumac berry is that there is not much pulp to it, so washing it thoroughly will remove most of the flavour and leave it very tart, as any sweetness that it has is held near the surface.

Take 5 to 6 sumac whole blossoms

8 cups of water you can always add more to taste later

Rinse lightly to get initial unwanted things off. (Some people just soak at this stage in cold or luke warm water.

I leave overnight to get the full strength of the blossoms.

Strain with a dense cloth, coffee filter, or cheesecloth. If you use cheese cloth do it a few times as the fine hairs tend to pass through the cheese cloth.

Dry method

One method is to wash the cones, then leave them to dry. When ready to use separate all the berries and rehydrate them in water.

Once you have strained the sumacade, add your preferred sweetener, honey, or maple syrup.

This method can also be used to make a spice from sumac.

Enjoy!

Have you tried sumacade, or used the plant in other ways? Share with us in the comments?