The theme for December is Celebration!
I want to celebrate making fun decorations, handmade gifts, and celebrating with friends. The recipe theme this month is Mocktails, so I will share several fun drinks you can enjoy without worrying about driving.
I want to celebrate making fun decorations, handmade gifts, and celebrating with friends. The recipe theme this month is Mocktails, so I will share several fun drinks you can enjoy without worrying about driving.
I chose this as the first Mocktail, because the
ingredients are so perfectly seasonal. Star
anise, licorice root and vanilla bean are combined to create the perfect root
beer in this Anise Licorice Root Beer recipe. To make a root beer from this simple
syrup recipe you need to carbonate the syrup.
You accomplish that one of three ways.
Add the syrup to seltzer water, use the syrup in your “soda stream” or allow
it to naturally carbonate by adding yeast to the syrup. Depending on your skill level, you can try one
or all three of these methods.
But first you need to create the simple syrup. This
recipe is excerpted from Homemade Soda (Storey Publishing, 2011) by
Andrew Schloss.
Anise Licorice Root Beer
Star anise, the dried star-shaped fruit of an Asian
evergreen, is pungent with the aroma of licorice and hints of clove and
cinnamon. Together, star anise and licorice root create a flavor so full-bodied
and powerful that just a few ounces will flavor a whole barrel of root beer. According to Andrew Schloss “In this aromatic soda I have amended the licorice-anise
partnership with vanilla bean for its floral top notes, clove for depth, and
brown sugar for mellowness.”
Anise Licorice Syrup
Enough for 1 gallon brewed root beer
4 1/2 cups water
4 ounces dried licorice root, chopped
4 star anise
3 cloves
1 vanilla bean, cut into three pieces
4 cups dark brown sugar 4 ounces dried licorice root, chopped
4 star anise
3 cloves
1 vanilla bean, cut into three pieces
Combine the water, licorice, star anise, cloves, and
vanilla bean in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring
occasionally; let simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Gradually add the brown
sugar to the simmering syrup, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let simmer
for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove from the heat, let cool, and
strain. This syrup will keep in the
refrigerator for up to 2 months.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER (1 serving)
1/2 cup anise licorice syrup
1 1/2 cups seltzer
1 1/2 cups seltzer
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and
stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON (Soda
Stream) (3 servings)
3 cups water
1 cup anise licorice syrup
1 cup anise licorice syrup
Combine the water and syrup in a 1-quart soda siphon.
Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5
days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice and serve.
TO BREW ROOTBEER (1 gallon)
3 quarts lukewarm (80–90 degrees) water
1 batch anise licorice syrup
1/8 teaspoon champagne yeast (Saccharomyces bayanus)
1 batch anise licorice syrup
1/8 teaspoon champagne yeast (Saccharomyces bayanus)
Combine the water and syrup in a large container.
Test the temperature; the mixture should be at a warm room temperature, from 75
to 80 degrees. (If it is too hot, let it sit until it cools a bit. If it is too
cold, warm it over low heat.) Add the yeast and stir until it is completely
dissolved.
Pour the mixture into sanitized plastic bottles using
a sanitized kitchen funnel, leaving 1 1/4 inches of air space at the top of
each bottle. Seal the bottles. Store for 2 to 4 days at room
temperature. When the bottles feel rock hard, the soda is fully
carbonated.
Refrigerate
for at least 1 week before serving; drink within 3 weeks to avoid over
carbonation.
Anise Syrup Cocktail - Black Licorice
Prepare the anise licorice syrup as described, then
carbonate as desired.
Add 1 ounce (2
tablespoons) Pernod, Sambuca, or other anise-flavored liqueur to 8
ounces (1 cup) Anise Licorice Root Beer (Carbonated Anise Licorice Syrup) and
serve over ice.
RECIPE THEME
RECIPE THEME
Each
month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive
archive will be shared. This year we have 12 new topics, different from the
topics of last year. To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe
link
or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018.
You
can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box
and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom
of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each
month. All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find
them
all.
The
themes are:
Jan
2019 – Chicken and Dumplings
(CDumpsJan)
Feb
2019 - Pasta Dishes
(PastaFeb)
March
2019 - Edible Flowers
(FlowerMar)
April 2019 - Seafood
Recipes
(SeafoodApr)
May 2019 - Cajun
And Creole
(C&CMay)
June
2019 - Vegetarian Dishes
(VegJun)
July
2019 - Zucchini Recipes
(ZucJul)
August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes
(MustardAug)
September 2019 - Quiche
(QuicheSep)
October 2019 - Crock Pot
meals (CrockOct)
November 2019 -
Pies (PieNov)
December 2019 -
Mocktails (MockDec)
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