Spicy Ginger Soda
May 7, 2011
Aunt Suzy says . . .
This delicious drink is part of an article in this month’s Bon Appetit on making your own sodas. My friend Tamzan made it for me when I was over at her place for lunch recently and we both went “Wow”! These recipes were all without alcohol, but we began to speculate what kind of booze would work well. The next day I saw this video from a fellow Minnesota food blogger in which he added vodka. I served this drink (with vodka) to my book club last night, and we all agreed that it was delicious and refreshing! I served it without alcohol at a family gathering for Mother’s Day the following week. The good news is that it is equally delicious with or without alcohol! I think we need to come up with a name for the drink when served with vodka – any ideas?
You’ll note that it starts with making a simple syrup which needs about an hour or so, so leave yourself time. This recipe makes enough syrup for about 9 drinks – more than specified in the Bon Appetit article.
Margaux says…
We made spicy rum chillers with it, and it was delicious!! Just add a shot of rum and a lime wedge to the basic drink recipe below. It’s perfect for summer!
The Spicy Ginger Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons dried chili pepper flakes
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup water
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid into a jar and discard the ginger/chili pepper solids.
The Drink
Place ice in a 12-ounce glass. Add 2 tablespoons of the ginger syrup and juice from a wedge of lime. Add soda or sparkling mineral water to fill the glass and stir. If serving with vodka (or rum or tequilla), leave enough room. Add liquor to your taste – I used a little less than a shot.
Sweet & Savory Kitchens 
May 10, 2011 at 6:51 pm
Hello – I enjoyed Suzy and Tamzan’s recipe with a South of the Boarder twist – tequila. The combo of the spicy ginger syrup with tequila was yummy. Here is what I did.
In a 12 oz glass mix 2 Tablespoons of the Spicy Ginger Syrup with a shy shot of tequila, and the juice of 1/2 a lime. Fill the glass with ice and club soda (which works better then sparkling water due to the added salty flavor) – stir and garnish with a slice of lime. We enjoyed our drinks on the deck with a mild salsa and guacamole. What a great way to end the day and ring in the summer season! Thanks Tamzan and Suzy for sharing.