Tatum's Ginger Lemon Honey Concentrate
- 2-3 large antlers fresh organic ginger, scrubbed well
- 1-3 quarts water
- 2-4 T. organic honey
- 1-2 T. fresh lemon juice
3 LARGE antlers of ginger (can opener is for size reference)! |
Sharpen your knife and slice the ginger into very thin rounds.
Combine the sliced ginger with the water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
(Note: The saucepan I use holds 3 quarts to the brim, and I fill it as full as possible without risking a boil over; so, I typically use about 1.5 quarts of water. With evaporation, I end up with 1 quart of concentrate. If you use a bigger saucepan, you could use more water, but then you'll have a weaker brew.)
When it reaches a boil, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. If you don't, it will boil over! Cover and cook for several hours. In the photo below, you can see the pot is packed full of ginger!
Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
I will often let it cool overnight, then simmer for another couple hours the next day, before letting it cool to room temperature again, to create a really STRONG concentrate.
Strain the liquid using a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer. You can store it as is, and sweeten it as you use it, or you can add honey and lemon now before you store it. The honey will dissolve more easily in room temperature concentrate than in cold-from-the-fridge concentrate.
Add honey and lemon juice to taste, keeping in mind that this is a concentrate, and will be diluted.
Discard the spent ginger and store the concentrate in the fridge.
This makes a very STRONG brew, so I mix it with soda water to create a sort-of homemade ginger ale. Tatum mixes it with water and makes tea. You will need to adjust the ratio of concentrate to water based on the strength of your brew and your taste preference.
To Make Soda:
1 t. honey
1/3 c. concentrate
2/3 c. seltzer
1/2 a small lemon
Opt: sprig of sage or another herb of your choice
Dissolve 1 t. honey in 1/3 cup of ginger concentrate in a highball glass.
Cut a 1/4" slice off the wide end of the lemon half. Thread that slice on a tall skewer and squeeze a few drops of juice from the remainder of the lemon half into the glass.
Top it off with seltzer water and garnish with a sprig of sage. Tarragon or basil would also be nice. As you sip the drink, you will smell the herb!
The ratio of 1 t. honey to 1/3 c concentrate is perfect for me, and translates into 4 T honey per quart of concentrate.