Okay, so today I wanted to mess around with making some flavored syrups. I’ve been seeing them all over the place – in coffee, cocktails, you name it. Figured it’d be a fun little project, and who knows, maybe I’d come up with something delicious. Plus, store-bought syrups can be kinda pricey, so making my own seemed like a win-win.
I started with the basics. You know, just sugar and water. Got a pot, threw in some water and a bunch of sugar, and cranked up the heat. The goal was to get it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Seemed simple enough, right?
While that was going on, I started thinking about flavors. I had some fresh basil in the fridge, and some rosemary too, so I thought, “Why not?” I also had an orange lying around, and a fresh bag of coffee that smelled amazing. My plan was to make a small batch of syrup with each of these to see which ones I liked best.
Once the sugar water was simmering nicely, I started with the basil. Just tossed a handful of leaves into the pot and let it do its thing. I did the same with the rosemary, the orange peel and the coffee grinds, each in their own pot, of course. Each pot got a good stir and then just simmered away.
I let them all simmer for a while, probably about 15-20 minutes. I figured that was enough time for the flavors to really get into the syrup. After that, I took them off the heat and let them cool down a bit.
Next up was straining. I didn’t want any leaves or coffee grounds in my syrup, obviously. So I got out a strainer and carefully poured each syrup through it, into some clean jars. This part was a little messy, but hey, that’s part of the fun, right?
After they were all strained and cooled, it was time for the taste test. This is what it’s all about, right?
- The basil syrup: This one was interesting. It had a nice, fresh, herby flavor. I think it would be really good in a lemonade or maybe even a mojito.
- The rosemary syrup: This one was a bit stronger. Definitely had that distinct rosemary taste. I’m thinking this might be good in a gin and tonic or maybe even with some iced tea.
- The orange peel syrup: This was my favorite, it smelled so good and had a really bright, citrusy flavor. I can see myself using this in all sorts of things, maybe some pancakes, or even in coffee.
- The coffee syrup: This was strong, like really strong. It definitely tasted like coffee, but it was a bit too intense for me. Maybe I added too many coffee grinds. I think I’ll try this one again with less coffee next time.
In conclusion
Overall, I’d say this little experiment was a success! It was super easy to do, and I ended up with some pretty tasty syrups. The orange peel was the clear winner for me, but I can see myself using the others too. Plus, it was way cheaper than buying them at the store. I’m definitely going to be making more of these in the future. Maybe I’ll try some other flavors next time, like lavender or maybe even chili pepper. The possibilities are endless!
