Sugar syrup is a wonder in the summertime for when you want an ice cold coffee with just a smidge of sweet. Granulated sugar simply does not cut the mustard and those fancy cafe syrups from the store cost more than their worth. My mother taught me how to make a simple syrup when I was in junior high. I used it in iced tea and two-squeeze lemonade ( I should write about that). Now, I use it in iced coffee and the occasional mixed cocktail.
Simple syrup is super simple to make. Everyone seems to have a different combination of sugar to water so I will let you be the judge. I personally use one cup water to one cup sugar. I let it come to a mini boil then I turn the heat off to cool. The longer you cook it, the more the water evaporates or burns off.
As I lean towards the semi-fancy, my simple syrup has a twist. I make mine flavored. it is super easy to do, all you need is a handful or so of your favorite fresh herb, washed and dried. I recently made up a batch of minted syrup, perfect for iced tea, two-squeeze lemonade and
mojitos (of course!), and a batch of cinnamon syrup perfect for iced coffee and
golden cadiallacs.
I wanted to make up a couple of batches both because of the great visit, and because I am currently on an iced coffee fix and need to purge myself of my fondness for
Coffee-mate's Natural Bliss. It helped that I kept the containers and so off I went.
For the cinnamon syrup I added one whole cinnamon stick to the mix and let it hang out in the sticky sweet goodness until the whole thing cooled down. The mint syrup was made with a handful of fresh mint that I had crumpled a bit in my hand to break the leaves a bit and allow the minty goodness to steep.
Once cool, discard the extra bits and pour into your reusable containers. Add a little bit of labeled whimsy and chill until it is time to mix up some drinks! Syrups should be happy in yer fridge for a few weeks as long as you have strained all herbally bits out of it. Make small batches to ensure you use it up quickly. Lookie how pretty the syrups are! Mmm...now it is time for some iced coffee!
I also make a lavender syrup. I use it in two-squeeze lemonade and soda water for a fizzy herby drink. If you do want to make a lavender syrup, go easy. Fresh lavender is super heady, I would recommend one large floret and discard after boiling. Enjoy!
