Did you know that there are a couple of kinds of soda pop that you can make at home? I have an aunt who was legend for her homemade root beer at family reunions. She flavored hers with sarsaparilla, sassafras, vanilla bean, and licorice root. This has been on my must-do summer fun list for years. I'm thinking this year on the 4th of July, my family will make root beer.
There's another flavor of homemade soda that I really enjoy and will be making today -- Ginger Ale. There are a few ways to carbonate flavored soda: dry ice, yeast, water kefir, and using club soda or seltzer water. Each has its merits.
I'm going for easy, so I'll be adding club soda to a homemade ginger simple syrup. Ginger simple syrup is easy to make, simmering fresh lemon and fresh ginger root in water, sweetened with sugar, and cooked down to syrup stage. Finally, the syrup is strained before adding to the beverages, such as club soda or tea.
There's a reason I'm making ginger ale today. It's my birthday! Today, I'm choosing activities that will put a smile on my face. Making ginger ale is one of those fun projects to celebrate the day.
Have a great weekend!