Simple syrup, rimming salt/sugar: which flavors?
I'm going to Chicago next weekend and crashing on a friend's couch. I'd like to bring some kind of hostess gift, but I'm dead broke (and my friend is most definitely not). He's really into cocktails, so I was thinking of doing some flavored simple syrups for mixing drinks and some salts or sugars for rimming cocktail glasses. (We're having a cocktail party while I'm there.) I loved the recent post on tangerine salt, and I like the idea of ginger syrup, but I'm looking for more ideas. Serious drinkers, what flavors of simple syrup would you like to play bartender with?
Also, what's your ideal water/sugar ratio for making simple syrup? I don't want it to be too sweet, so I'm thinking 1.5/1. What do you think?
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18 Comments:
Simple syrup is usually a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. I usually use one to one. Put some sugar and water in a bottle, and shake. You don't need to boil it or reduce it.
If you can find some smoked salt, that might be nice.
Instead of flavored simple syrups, I might try your hand at making some homemade bitters? The bartenders I know are more into homemade bitters than flavoring simple syrups.
Home made ginger beer is awesome (definitely go ginger beer not ginger syrup, I love Audrey Saunders recipe) but I'm not sure how long it can be kept unrefrigerated (not sure how far you are traveling).
kathryn at 12:09AM on 02/14/09
home-made ginger beer sounds like a great idea .... you can make
MOSCOW MULES....
once we steeped some hot peppers in a bottle of tequila and made
fiery margaritas.
pooch at 12:15AM on 02/14/09
Lemon or a berry simple syrup works with everything.
As for rimmers. Do one sweet and one sour. The sweet goes on tart drinks and the sour on sweet ones.
JerzeeTomato at 4:01AM on 02/14/09
Over Christmas I made some candied orange peels.
Delicious by product - orange simple syrup!
It sure does make a great hot toddy when used in place of the honey.
andshewas at 4:57PM on 02/14/09
i've done rosemary salt and sugar. good with a meyer lemon/regular lemon syrup. key lime. thyme. 5-spice syrup and ginger for a hot toddy.
i always do 1:1 ratio. prevents crystallization. i think the key is concentrating the flavor. when the flavor is weak, then you have to add more, making the drink too sweet!
dmarina at 1:11AM on 02/15/09
oops, forget to add, 1:1 also doesn't water down the drink like a lesser ratio would. celery seed/bacon salt mix for bloody marys the morning after the party would be nice too.
dmarina at 1:16AM on 02/15/09
Last summer I made mint-infused simple syrup. The cocktail I created with it contained vodka, lemon juice, the mint simple syrup and a tiny splash of lavender-infused vodka (it had a really strong flavor). Yum.
ChefDJen at 11:56AM on 02/15/09
My favorites for the simple syrup have already been taken -- lemon, berry and mint. Maybe another citrus flavor or vanilla?
IndyGal at 1:10PM on 02/15/09
We keep mint simple syrup for mojitos, cuts down on the amount of "salad" in the glass. I also have recently started liking sanding sugar as the rimmer on my margarita glass.
ocarol at 2:48PM on 02/15/09
thanks for all the great suggestions-- you guys are the best! i love the idea of making ginger ale, but i usually avoid trying out brand-new recipes on other people, and this week is going to be super-busy as it is. maybe i'll whip up a test batch for myself sometime soon, then it can be one of my go-to recipes.
foodphilo at 3:39PM on 02/15/09
We love demerara sugar simple syrup. Delicious in dark rum mojitos!
Mizbee at 4:04PM on 02/15/09
A great idea for rimming a glass is using the pop rocks.....tastes delicious on a flavored martini or cosmo and is always a conversation piece. I know its not something you will make but might be fun to add to the cocktail party
labcab at 12:42AM on 02/16/09
(off-topic, but for others' reference, Trader Joe's now has bottles of simple syrup for those who can't take the time to boil water ;-).
Lilly Tao at 2:34AM on 02/16/09
Also, I hope a visit to Hot Doug's is on your agenda for the weekend!
andshewas at 11:31AM on 02/16/09
I like to infuse a simple syrup with habanero pepper. Slice it thinly and remove the seeds, then add it to the water and sugar as it is disolving. I use a 1:1 ratio for simple syrups.
Amandarama at 12:40PM on 02/16/09
Trader Joe's now has bottles of simple syrup for those who can't take the time to boil water
You don't need to boil the water to make simple syrup! I swear this must be a myth propagated by the electric/gas companies. Just add sugar to water, and shake.
kathryn at 3:39PM on 02/16/09
For ginger syrup, I've had some luck with slices of peeled ginger (about 2 inches worth) in a 2 cup 1:1 syrup (1 cup each, that is). Bring it all to a simmer, and then remove from heat and let infuse for a while (I just forgot about it; not sure how long I let it go).
(kathryn's right, of course, that simple syrups really don't need heat, but the heat, I find, helps to bring out the ginger.)
Combined with Mizbee's demarara idea, this would be AMAZING for a more liquorous riff on a Dark and Stormy.
Yrmencyn at 3:20PM on 02/18/09
If you are going to infuse a simple syrup then you do actually need to heat it. Or wait possible weeks... water on it's own does not really extract flavors, and the flavoring item could go rancid and slimy before it infuses anything.
lstrassman at 9:17AM on 04/25/09