For this week’s Thirsty Thursday, AY About You sits down with Emily Lawson, founder of Pink House Alchemy in Fayetteville.

 

 

Could you tell us about the history/story of your establishment?

I realized my special connection with flavor when I was very young. Some of my clearest memories are the smell of my Nana’s farm: hay being cut, fresh milk, and bacon as the back note to everything. I remember wandering through her beautiful wildflower patch and eating strawberries. Nana taught me all I needed to be a successful chef, without either of us realizing it and I fell in love with cooking before I could even reach the stove.

As I continued to grow, I continued to become passionate about learning and about how things come together to make other things work. The idea for Pink House Alchemy came from when I was working at a farmer’s market in Fayetteville in 2012 and purchased my first bundle of lavender from Ugly Bunny Farms. At the time, I was a pre-med student at the University of Arkansas but was drawn to culinary work. For me, the connection between the farmer and the consumer was powerful, and I wanted to showcase my love for the delicious and the hard-working farmer at one time. From there, I made my first simple syrup in 2013 using the lavender I bought from the market. My hope was that using locally sourced ingredients would be a good outlet for farmers, and the syrup could be used in a variety of ways. With this knowledge and an incredible team, at Pink House Alchemy, we work every day to find new and perfect connections between ingredients. Each product is crafted with an experience and story behind it.

 

 

What kinds of drinks does your establishment sell? 

Pink House Alchemy was created through the love of food and flavor. Inspired by complementary patterns in roots, barks, fruits, herbs and botanicals, we work every day to find new and perfect connections between ingredients — and simple syrups, bitters and shrubs are where we put these discoveries to the test.

In addition to our three main products, we also offer dried fruit garnishes, deconstructed cocktail kits (change seasonally), and other swag including magnets, T-shirts, syrup pumps and more.

 

 

What seems to be the customer favorite?

There are a lot of favorites, I’d have to say the top three products are our Cardamom Syrup, PH Delight Syrup and Tonic Syrup. 

Cardamom, by nature, is spicy and sweet with a beautiful floral scent. We developed this syrup with its perfect partner — coffee — in mind. Our customers love recreating our signature Cardamom Latte. All you need to do is combine two shots of espresso and 1 ounce of Cardamom Syrup in your favorite mug. Then, pour 8 ounces of steamed and/or frothed milk over the top for a delicious latte you’re sure to enjoy!

Back this winter by popular demand is our Warm Hug Cider Deconstructed Cocktail Kit, created with PH Delight Syrup. The kit includes all ingredients (except for the alcohol, for you to purchase separately) for our customers to create their favorite warm, fall drink. To make the cider, combine 2 ounces of bourbon, brandy or cognac with 4 ounces of cold-pressed apple juice, 1 ounce of PH Delight Syrup and a cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s brought to a simmer, turn off the heat and serve immediately. Garnish with a dehydrated apple slice and enjoy!

Earlier this year, our Tonic Syrup was announced as a winner of the 2021 Good Food Awards for its remarkable taste, farm-to-table ingredients and environmental excellence. We love using our Tonic Syrup in a classic Gin & Tonic. In a shaker with ice, combine 2.5 ounces of gin (we love using Hendrick’s), 1 ounce of Tonic Syrup and 3 dashes of House or Honeysuckle Bitters. Shake until cold and rinse a chilled glass with sweet vermouth. Drain the cocktail and garnish with a lemon twist. 

 

 

What’s the staff favorite?

Our Lavender Syrup will always have a special place in my heart since it’s the first syrup I ever made. It bursts with spice, coupled with citrus and mint aromas. I love walking into the Pink House production during lavender season — you’re knocked over with all the sweet smells.

It’s absolutely delicious in a cocktail and I love using it to make a Lavender Cream Soda. We also use it frequently in baking, our favorite recipe being a Lavender Lemon Pound Cake.

 

 

Do you have any seasonal specials coming up?

Our Pumpkin Butternut Spice Syrup is back in stock, and it’s our favorite syrup for fall. Customers love using it to create their own version of a Pumpkin Spice Latte or to put a fun twist on the traditional Old Fashioned. We also use it to create some delicious fall dinner recipes including Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Pumpkin Spiced Spaghetti Squash.

We’ve also brought back three holiday-inspired deconstructed cocktail kits, Cardamom Mulled Wine Kit, Herbalicious Paloma Cocktail Kit and Warm Hug Cider Kit. 

 

 

Do you plan on making any new additions to the menu soon that aren’t seasonally related?

We’re always experimenting with new and different flavor combinations and have a few surprises up our sleeves.

 

 

All in all, what makes your establishment unique?

At Pink House, the connection between the farmer and the consumer is powerful. We source our ingredients locally whenever possible to support our farmers and to ensure our products are always of the highest quality. We also know that ingredients grow better in certain climates and soils than others, so we make sure to do our research and source from farms that have the best product, all while being mindful of our carbon footprint.

For example, our Blackberry Sage Syrup and Strawberry Syrups are created with berries from McGarrah Farms in Pea Ridge and our herbs that make up our delicious Herbalicious Syrup are from Heifer Village & Urban Farm in Little Rock. Each Pink House Alchemy product is crafted with an experience and story behind it and we hope our customers continue to enjoy our products for years to come.

 

Photos by Kat Wilson

 

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