Receta {No Bake/ Summer Drink} GINGER & PEACHY BUBBLES ... Ginger Ale & Peach Consommé
“Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun”
Noel Cowards
The origin of that expression is from Rudyard Kipling who once described the delirium produced by the sun in India, observing that only “mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun”. We fitted in right with it when we went out in the afternoon yesterday. Was it hot, or was it hot? Mr PAB, who is just recovering from a bad bout of tummy virus, dehydration and subsequent hospitalisation, had some urgent pending work, so yours truly volunteered to play chauffeur! What kept me going was the thought of getting back home to some chilled ale!
Ouf!! We’ve had a hot summer, and when I say hot, I mean HOT! The temperatures have consistently stayed in the mid 40C’s and there has been little respite. This is the peak of the North Indian summer, which is known for being as treacherous and unrelenting as can be. It’s customary for folk like me to wake up each morning and whiff the morning air for any hint of rain coming our way. ZILCH! Day after day we are faced with heat and dust, and power-cuts of course!
The glasses I’ve served the bubbly in are typically the sort found across India, and are used to serve tea in road-side tea stalls. They’ve been around for as long as I can remember. I remember seeing them when we used to travel by train as kids. It was either these or little terracotta cups, but they form a part of the essence of India. I had gone into the heart of the old city a few days go on work, and found an old lady selling tea in these. Of course I immediately asked her if I could buy a set. She pleaded with her rather unrelenting old man, eventually persuading him into agreeing, then happily packed them off with me. Her only question was what I would do with these? Sweet lady!
The bottles in the background are also part of our cultural heritage if I may say so. Summer in North India is not complete without crates of these available at every street corner. They are filled with lime juice and sealed with a marble on top, offering a thirst quencher for the man on the street. They are called called ‘bunta-bottle’ in the local lingo, bunta meaning marble. I love the shape of the bottle and the heaviness of the glass too. Though I am now very iffy about the source of water that fills the bottle, I bought them for their rustic charm!
To get to the mixology stage, with strawberries being from a season gone by, my next best bet for a consommé lay in peaches.Yes, indeed, stone fruits – the other thing that makes summer so much fun. Googling didn’t throw up anything, so I did what I thought was best, and made a consommé of peaches. Since it was less potent than strawberry consommé, I had to use more than 1 tbsp, and it lent a subtle hint of peachiness to the ale. This ale is a wonderful addition to summer!
- Homemade Ginger Ale:
- Aran Goyoaga’s recipe posted @ Design Sponge
- 2 Tbs grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
- 7 cups water
Method:
In a small pot, add the grated ginger, sugar and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil and let sugar dissolve. Remove pan from heat and let the syrup steep and cool for about 30 minutes.
Strain the syrup through a fine sieve. Mix with the lemon juice, yeast and 2 qts of water. Whisk together and using a funnel, pour into a plastic bottle. Screw the cap on the bottle. Make sure it is a plastic bottle and not glass as the gases from the fermentation can crack the glass jar.
Let it ferment at room temperature for about 2 days until carbonation forms. Make sure to refrigerate after it starts to carbonate.
Peach Consommé:
{Aran made a sweet strawberry consommé}
1 lb fresh peaches, peeled, pitted & chopped
½ cup sugar
Method:
In a bowl, toss together the peaches and sugar. Cover the bowl and let them macerate for 2-3 hours, and puree.
Strain through a coffee filter and leave to stand undisturbed for 4-5 hours. Do not press as we only want to collect the clear juice.
Mixology:
1/2 cup homemade ginger ale
2 Tbs peach consommé
1 Tbs vodka to taste (optional)
Fresh lemon slices
Peaches
In a rocks glass mix the ingredients. Add ice to chill. Squeeze a fresh lemon to taste and garnish with fresh lemon and strawberry slices. Serve and enjoy!
♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥
Don’t miss a post Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India
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Posted by Deeba @ PAB