Over the past couple of months, I've made a bunch of lovely drinks from The Art of the Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the Classics, written by bartenders from Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, including some that featured my beloved rye.
Yesterday, I made their recipe for ginger syrup: 2oz thinly-sliced ginger; 1 cup of sugar; 1.5 cups of water; and 1.5 tsp of whole black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 35-45 minutes, until the syrup is nice and strong and gingery. And then, use in your favorite cocktails that call for ginger syrup!
Yum! I hope you've tried some of Audrey Saunder's recipes?
http://www.starchefs.com/cooking/?q=node/59
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/food/recipe168.shtml
Posted by: kathryn | September 08, 2008 at 06:56 PM
I looked at a bunch of different recipes before I made mine (have to feed the Hot Lips addiction) and I went with sweeter. My ratio was two cups of sugar to one cup of water. I decided I was making simple syrup with ginger flavor rather than the normal recipes for ginger syrup which have a ratio more like the one you made. Also, never came across peppercorns. I'll have to try that.
I also think I put a lot more ginger in mine. How much is 2oz? I probably put as much in as in that picture for my last batch (I made a double batch).
Posted by: | September 09, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Not having a kitchen scale, I actually don't know how much 2oz is, which may be why my ginger syrup seems very strong. :) I peeled and sliced a thing of ginger that was about the size as the one in the picture. I think a sweeter syrup would've been better for the drink I was making, but I'm going to try the syrup in some of the recipes from the book, since that's where the recipe for the syrup came from.
Posted by: btrott | September 10, 2008 at 09:19 AM
Oh and once you strain the ginger out, don't forget to eat it! It makes a really nice ginger candy.
Posted by: Andrew Anker | September 10, 2008 at 09:33 AM