Virgin Sunset
Description
Submitted by: Laura Conover
Tiered, non-alcoholic drink that resembles a sunset..
Ingredients
At a glance
Cocktail Recipes
Non-Alcoholic
Ginger Syrup (recipe follows)
Seltzer Water
Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
'Juice' from jar of Maraschino Cherries
Maraschino Cherries
(ratios to follow in instructions)
Ginger Syrup Ingredients:
1 medium ginger root, peeled, and sliced into coins
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups filtered water
1/8 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder (optional)
Substitution: If you do not want to make your own ginger syrup, substitute a good ginger ale (such as Chelmsford Ginger Ale) for the ginger syrup and seltzer water.
Seltzer Water
Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
'Juice' from jar of Maraschino Cherries
Maraschino Cherries
(ratios to follow in instructions)
Ginger Syrup Ingredients:
1 medium ginger root, peeled, and sliced into coins
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups filtered water
1/8 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder (optional)
Substitution: If you do not want to make your own ginger syrup, substitute a good ginger ale (such as Chelmsford Ginger Ale) for the ginger syrup and seltzer water.
Methods/steps
This is particularly good as a brunch beverage, and a nice way to make a 'cocktail' that even the minors at the party can enjoy.
Prepare the ginger syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Add the sliced ginger, and simmer it in the syrup for 35-45 minutes. Taste a cooled bit of the syrup - it should be spicy and bright, but not bitter. (If it is overcooked, eventually, the flavor will become bitter.)
If it is not yet strong enough, reduce the syrup a little further. Remove from the heat, strain into a jar, and mix with the Chinese Five-Spice powder. Allow the syrup to cool before using.
Now that we have the ginger syrup, we can move on to the actual drink, which is made based on ratios and personal taste preferences. In a cold glass, mix 1 part ginger syrup to 4 parts seltzer water, and stir to dissolve the syrup. Add ice. If using ginger ale as a substitution, simply add the ginger ale to the glass over ice.
Add 1 part fresh-squeezed orange juice. Finally, add about one tablespoon of the cherry liquid from the jar – if added carefully, it will settle towards the bottom of the glass, creating a beautiful tier of pink color, topped with the orange color, much like a sunset.
Garnish with a cherry and an orange wedge, but carefully - any mixing at this point will destroy the tiers of color.
Prepare the ginger syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Add the sliced ginger, and simmer it in the syrup for 35-45 minutes. Taste a cooled bit of the syrup - it should be spicy and bright, but not bitter. (If it is overcooked, eventually, the flavor will become bitter.)
If it is not yet strong enough, reduce the syrup a little further. Remove from the heat, strain into a jar, and mix with the Chinese Five-Spice powder. Allow the syrup to cool before using.
Now that we have the ginger syrup, we can move on to the actual drink, which is made based on ratios and personal taste preferences. In a cold glass, mix 1 part ginger syrup to 4 parts seltzer water, and stir to dissolve the syrup. Add ice. If using ginger ale as a substitution, simply add the ginger ale to the glass over ice.
Add 1 part fresh-squeezed orange juice. Finally, add about one tablespoon of the cherry liquid from the jar – if added carefully, it will settle towards the bottom of the glass, creating a beautiful tier of pink color, topped with the orange color, much like a sunset.
Garnish with a cherry and an orange wedge, but carefully - any mixing at this point will destroy the tiers of color.
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