Day 286: Sweet stuff and look over the bluff

So, in the interest of learning exactly what is in my food, I have taken to task trying to learn exactly how I can make things at home. I feel like being able to make my own food will shed some light on what ingredients are supposed to look like as opposed to manufactured food where chemicals replace real food ingredients. I have already learned to make my own soda pop and learned that it does not need to contain high fructose corn syrup nor does it need to contain any preservatives if I make it at home.
In the interest of shedding some light on this, I will share instructions on how to make your own Ginger Beer, Ginger Ale or whatever you prefer to call it:

First, you need to know the basic recipe for simple syrup. Simple syrup is one of the most basic ingredients for a lot of sweet beverages like soda pop, shakes, smoothies, snow cones. I think you get the picture.

To make a simple syrup you simply need to combine 2parts sugar to 1part water, heat until the sugar is dissolved completely. Done. Most often it is easiest to make in batches using the 8oz "cup" measurement, so I will be using this increment in my following description.

TO MAKE A GINGER SYRUP:

 (we'll make an example out of ginger first, then I will give you clues to making other flavored syrups)
-Skin your ginger root (just take a knife and either scrape that crusty skin off or cut it off, whichever method you prefer)
-Slice it into very thin disks (very thin being thinner than a nickel)
-Mottle (which basically means take a blunt object and smash the bejezums out of it til it's good and squished so that you release the flavors locked inside the cell walls of the fruit, herb or spice)
-Place in a pan on your stove
-Add 1cup water
-Simmer (or heat on very low heat, just enough so that it is to warm to touch for very long) for about half an hour (which will make your house smell awesome)
-Strain (some people like to leave the chunks in, but most people want a smooth syrup. Also: a chunkless syrup will keep in your refrigerator longer than one that has food particles in it) with a cheese cloth lined strainer (you can keep all the strained out pieces for breads, jams or ice cream topping)
-Pour liquid into a measuring cup and make sure you are still at 1cup (add water to make up the difference if you are not - the longer you simmer the more concentrated your flavor but also the more water you lose, if you are leaving the chunks in you can skip this step)
-Release the 1cup of now flavored liquid back into the pan on the stove
-Add 2c sugar
-Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved (5-10min) and has reached an evenly distributed texture (you will have to stir very frequently or even constantly)

TO MAKE SODA POP WITH SAID SYRUP:

-Add your completely homemade syrup to tonic water or soda water (there are machines you can buy that will add carbon bubbles to water if you want to invest in one of those). Usually 1Tablespoon to 8oz of soda water, but feel free to add more if you like your soda pop sweeter.

TO MAKE A FRUIT SYRUP:

-Freeze your fruit or start with frozen fruit (freezing fruit begins the cell break down process and also enhances the sweet flavor of your fruit) Avoid seeds when possible.
-Defrost (yeah, I know, but just trust me, it makes all the difference)
-Mottle (or take a blunt object and smash the bejezums out of it til it's complete mush)
-Throw in a pan on the stove (because you are going to have to heat it)
-Add 1cup water
-Simmer for at least half an hour
-Strain through a metal strainer lined with a cheese cloth (or you CAN leave the chunks in if you want just keep the chunks for other recipes, for jams or for topping ice cream with)
-Put the liquid into a measuring cup and add water until you are back at 1cup (if you are a bit over a cup, don't pour any out! Just add twice the difference in sugar! - Also, if you are LEAVING THE CHUNKS IN - you can skip this step completely)
-Add 2cups sugar (do you see the pattern here?)
-Simmer and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid has a uniform texture
-Remove from heat and let cool

TO MAKE AN HERBED SYRUP: (oh yes, you can, and it is TASTY!)

-Start with either fresh or dried herb of choice
-Chop and mottle (just take a knife and a cutting board and go to town then toss it in a bowl and smash the everlovin bejezums out of it until all of your feelings of aggression for the world have gone)
-Put in a pan (do you see where this is going?)
-Add 1cup water
-Simmer very low (herbs are less tolerant of heat) for at least half an hour (oh, man is it going to smell amazing!)
-Strain (if you want to, but with herbs it's not really necessary) through a cheese cloth lined metal strainer
-Return liquid to pan (or if you aren't straining just go to the next step)
-Add 2cups of sugar
-Simmer and stir for 5-10minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid has a completely uniform texture
-Viola!

TO MAKE A CITRUS SYRUP:

-Cut zest off (leave the white parts with the rest of the fruit or it will taste bitter - the zest is just the colored part on the outside of the skin)
-Cut the rest of the skin away from the fruit and cut wedges from the meat of the fruit (you want to avoid any and all of the membranes around each fruit: they add bitterness)
-Put in a pan (NO MOTTLING NECESSARY)
-Add 1c water
-Simmer for at least 30minutes
-Strain (or don't) through a cheese cloth lined strainer (save the fruit chunks for other recipes or for topping with ice cream; save the zest pieces and candy them by adding them back to the liquid for the sugar addition, then remove from the liquid)
-Add liquid (and zest if you want to candy your zest) back to the pan
-Add 2c sugar
-Simmer and stir for 5-10 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved and uniform in texture
-If you've candied your zest (which is not a euphamism) you should remove it and reserve for an edible garnish to beverages or to other dishes (candied orange zest is pretty delicious if chopped and added to a salty or spicy stir fry)



You can make homemade snowcones with your syrup: just shave or grate your ice, pack it into the shape you like (but you do have to pack it) then drizzle on the syrup until all the ice has been touched by your amazing creation!


You can mix your syrups together: 1T (<-that means a Tablespoon) strawberry syrup with 1tsp (<-that means a teaspoon) basil syrup and add to soda water or shaved ice and you have and experience, not just a tasty treat!


Most syrups (because of their very sugary nature) will keep in the fridge for quite a while. Trust me, you'll know when it goes bad - and put a lid on it for sure: this sugary substance will inherit the flavors of everything your fridge has to offer including stale air.






And Finally:
Link of the Day: I don't think I know it all and I certainly don't think anyone else does either - least of all the people responsible for the links I add here. I just want to spread the wealth of knowledge that other things are possible in this life, and I hope you can get even a little squeeze of something out of it.

http://projectcamelotportal.com/