In a shaker ¾ full of ice, add tequila, lemon juice, fir needle tea, and syrup. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Strain into an ice filled glass and garnish with a lemon slice.

Fir Needle Syrup

In a small saucepan, add the fir needle tea and sugar. Stir and cook over medium high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour into a clean jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Once persimmons begin to show up in the store, or in my backyard for that matter, I eat them constantly. I love the crispness of the non-astringent variety, especially when under-ripe, and I love the brown sugar sweetness of a perfectly ripe native persimmon, especially one that has been through a frost. I muddle a couple of slices into a warming old-fashioned and replace the sugar with some barrel-aged maple syrup, resulting in a drink that feels like a cozy hug.

Growing up in a Mexican household, bay leaves were an essential element of my childhood. My mother added them to everything. The special flavor the leaves added to the piloncillo syrup she made for my favorite dessert, buñelos, still carries me to a special place. Combined with bay leaves, juniper berries add the perfect amount of winter to round out this twist on the classic daiquiri.