Okay we need to be clear about one thing: This is a post about peach ginger ale and blueberry ginger ale. We’re not mixing the two, mainly because if I learned anything with my art degree it’s that peach and purple would make poop and I’m not even about to photograph that, but also peach and blueberry ginger ale is less of a mouthful.
I know, drinks two weeks in a row, but it’s hot as balls right now which means I want to be showered with all the cold beverages but gently, with a straw, in my mouth.
I’m very good good at making things weird.
This whole thing actually came about because I got so excited about blueberries being on sale that I bought approximately way too many and figured hey maybe I should make something for the blog. Pie bars happened for the 4th of July (v patriotic) and I still have enough for muffins so I thought I’d just make some ice cold drink that I can have constantly in the fridge for emergencies/empty glass syndrome.
Since we’re best friends and I’m being honest I really don’t like ginger in a lot of things. I definitely can’t do the palate cleanse with sushi because the straight up ginger makes my mouth feel like it’s chewing on a bar of soap. This is not on brand for my mouth, but I know what it tastes like because there were two instances where kid Billy thought it would be kewl to yell obscenities at his mother. Kid Billy didn’t learn the first time.
This ginger ale actually walks a fine line between regular store bought ginger ale and ginger beer, which is usually too strong for me. The fruit is a nice little addition, and gives it a nice vibe, but it definitely rides shotgun with the ginger. The cool thing is that you could pretty much use any summer fruit you wanted/had lying around because I will always be known as the gurl that forgot she bought those on sale nectarines.
“Summer Fruit” Ginger Ale
Makes 1 1/2-1 3/4 cup syrup, enough to make 7-10 drinks
I say summer fruit because seriously you can use whatever fruit or fruits you want just know your colors so there’s no poop soda, unless you’re into that sort of thing.
2 cups chopped, obviously don’t worry about chopping up blueberries or blackberries, fruit
1/2 cup peeled and roughly chopped ginger
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup water
Sparkling water for the soda part, I really like LaCroix in the cans to make sure the bubblez are always fresh.
In a medium size saucepan combine all the ingredients (maybe measure out the sugar first so you don’t have to clean out the fruit) and bring the mixture to a boil. As soo as it comes to a boil turn the heat down to a medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. I might have boiled it too high for too long and made a bebe lake of syrup on my stovetop. Don’t be me.
After the 15 minutes strain the mixture and use the back of a spoon to gently press on the leftover fruit and ginger to squeeze out any extra goodness. Let the syrup cool on the counter for a little bit then transfer to the fridge to cool completely.
When you’re ready to rock n roll measure out 3 tablespoons of the syrup in a glass, add 1 cup of sparkling water, then fill the glass up with ice. You can also use this in any cocktail or drink recipe that calls for a simple syrup if u want to be a rebel.
