from A Summer Concert Picnic
This bright, citrusy and spicy spritzer can easily turn into a cordial with a splash of your favorite spirits, such as vodka or tequila.
Makes 4 servings
1½ cups sugar
1 cup water
1 (3-inch) knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
Zest of 1 lime
½ cup lime juice
Mint
Soda water
In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine sugar, water, ginger and zest (grated green peel) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.
Once cooled, remove ginger and add lime juice. Transfer to a sealed bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 2 cups of syrup.
For individual servings, muddle a sprig of mint in a highball glass, add ice, 1½ ounces (or adjust to your desired sweetness) syrup and top off with soda water. Stir, garnish with a mint leaf and serve. For multiple servings, muddle 3 sprigs of mint in a pitcher. Add 1 cup of ginger-lime syrup and 3 cups of soda water; stir to combine. Pour over ice and garnish with more mint.
MEREDITH STEELE is a recipe developer, food writer, food photographer and author of InSockMonkeySlippers.com, an award winning family food blog celebrating creative and fresh foods. Her recipe development and photography company, MBS Recipe Development specializes in multimedia recipe development for commercial and small business who’s clients include everyone from Ziploc® to small wineries. Meredith’s work has been published online, in various print media, and has been nominated for the SAVEUR awards. She can also be found across the pond writing a monthly column for JamieOliver.com. When Meredith is not in the kitchen, she’s roaming Dallas, Texas with her husband, curly-headed pixie of a daughter, and big floppy-eared dog.
