PREP: 15 minutes STAND: 1 hour COOK: 40 minutes MAKES: 10 drinks
10 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 cups water
1½ cups sugar
5 cups club soda, chilled
1. In a medium saucepan combine ginger and the water. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard ginger slices.
2. Return water to the saucepan. Stir in sugar. Bring mixture to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, until mixture is thickened and syrupy, about 40 minutes.
3. If desired, strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double-thickness of 100%-cotton cheesecloth. Transfer to a jar; seal. Chill until cold.
4. To make each drink, pour 2 Tbsp. of the syrup into an 8-oz. glass. Add ice. Top with ½ cup club soda. Stir to combine.
Ginger-Lime Ale: Prepare as directed, except add 2 tsp. lime zest at the end of Step 2. Let stand 5 minutes before proceeding to Step 3. Stir ¼ cup lime juice into syrup after chilling. Garnish drinks with lime slices.
Serving Ideas: The syrup can also be added to hot tea or iced tea, or stirred into cocktails.
PER DRINK, PLAIN OR VARIATION: 117 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 27 mg sodium, 30 g carb., 0 g fiber, 0 g pro.
You’ll taste the heat of the fresh ginger in this ginger ale more than in most store-bought ginger ales. For the best ginger flavor, use the freshest ginger you can find. It should have smooth skin (avoid soft or wrinkly ginger) and a fresh, spicy fragrance.