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One of my favorite parts of summer is the cool and refreshing beverages that will quench a gardener's palette. Few rank as high for me as sweet tea, lemonade, and limeade (preferably with crushed berries). But, what about that tell-tale sludge of gooey sweet sugar residue that is always present at the bottom of your homemade lemonade or sweet tea? What about when you make a batch of sun tea but want to offer your guests the option of making it sweetened or unsweetened. What about then, what do you do? You make a delicious batch of simple syrup and keep it on hand for just such occasions. No more sugar sludge at the bottom of your glass, no more excessive stirring while trying in vain to get the sugar to dissolve into an iced beverage, nope, this is easy and quick!
What is simple syrup? It is, simply put, sugar and water. Sugar dissolves very well in water, but only when the temperature is raised. Who wants hot sugar water? Not me. The best way to do this is to make your simple syrup on the stove top and then store it in a mason jar in your refrigerator to use on a glass by glass basis or in larger batches when making homemade lemonade or limeade.
HOW TO:
1 cup Sugar
2 cups water
What is simple syrup? It is, simply put, sugar and water. Sugar dissolves very well in water, but only when the temperature is raised. Who wants hot sugar water? Not me. The best way to do this is to make your simple syrup on the stove top and then store it in a mason jar in your refrigerator to use on a glass by glass basis or in larger batches when making homemade lemonade or limeade.
HOW TO:
1 cup Sugar
2 cups water
Simply stir the two ingredients together over medium heat and watch as your water turns clear without the sugar crystals (if you use pure cane sugar your water will turn a slightly brown clear but still delicious and perfect). Once the water is void of crystals simply let it cool and then store in a mason jar in your refrigerator.
I usually make a larger batch and keep it in the refrigerator for the endless parade of children that are swarming through my home on a daily basis, that way as long as I have lemon juice I can whip up some lemonade in about 3 minutes flat and serve the masses. The larger batch I use is typically 4 cups of sugar to 8 cups water then I store it in a half gallon mason jar like these in the refrigerator (I also store my sun tea in these as well).
I usually make a larger batch and keep it in the refrigerator for the endless parade of children that are swarming through my home on a daily basis, that way as long as I have lemon juice I can whip up some lemonade in about 3 minutes flat and serve the masses. The larger batch I use is typically 4 cups of sugar to 8 cups water then I store it in a half gallon mason jar like these in the refrigerator (I also store my sun tea in these as well).
The process is so simple and the quick ease of access is wonderful to have on hand as an easy sweetening solution.
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In case you were curious about my lemonade recipe, HERE it is and now it is so much simpler because I no longer have to wait for the simple syrup to cool!
