Orange Juice, Ginger & Mint Sodas
gr8chefmb
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 6-8
I love citrus-flavored drinks of almost every kind. Pair it with mint and ginger, and you have a refreshing drink on a hot summer day, especially if you live in Texas. To make it an adult beverage, add a splash of your favorite poison, either a citrus vodka or perhaps a splash of spiced rum or bourbon.
Ingredients
- 2 oranges
- 1 1/2 cup demara [raw] sugar
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 8 1-inch pieces ginger
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 1 liter club soda
- crushed ice
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WHO: gr8chefmb is a home cook and computer whiz based in Texas.
WHAT: Orange, ginger, and mint join forces in a soda made for hot summers.
HOW: A few minutes of simmering is all it takes: just assemble the ingredients and let them meld together in a saucepan.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Whether served with just soda water or some, ahem, fortification in the form of rum or bourbon, this drink will keep us cool all season long.
Directions
- Step 1
Use a vegetable peeler to peel rind from oranges in thin pieces, taking care not to get white pith on rind. Cut oranges in half and squeeze juice into a 3-quart saucepan.
- Step 2
Add sugar and water to saucepan and place over medium high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium. Add orange rind, ginger, and mint; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain syrup, discarding solids. Store in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up 1 week.
- Step 3
To make sodas, fill a tall glass halfway with crushed ice. Add 1/4 cup of orange-ginger-mint syrup to glass and top off with club soda. If desired, add a splash of orange-flavored vodka or spiced rum to glass before topping with club soda. Garnish with thin slice of orange and a couple of mint leaves.