Orange Ginger Mint Sodas
Orange ginger mint syrup, soda water, and lots of crushed ice: this is what summer is made of.
It really is that easy: raw sugar, mint, oranges, and ginger.
First things first: carefully peel the skin of the orange into big strips, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
But you're not done with those oranges: don't let their juice go to waste!
Sung to the tune of the Hokey Pokey: "You juice your right-hand orange..."
"You juice your left-hand orange..."
"And you shake it all about." (Okay, choir class is over.)
The orange juice joins raw sugar and water in a saucepan, where they'll all simmer until the sugar dissolves.
Eight one-inch pieces of ginger: easy enough.
Aromatics go in last: orange peel and ginger lead the way.
And then plenty of mint bringing up the rear.
The whole mix simmers together for 5 minutes. After it cools to room temperature, strain into a jar.
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Author Notes: I love citrus-flavored drinks of almost every kind. Pair it with mint and ginger, and you have a refreshing drink on a hot summer day, especially if you live in Texas. To make it an adult beverage, add a splash of your favorite poison, either a citrus vodka or perhaps a splash of spiced rum or bourbon. - gr8chefmb
Food52 Review: WHO: gr8chefmb is a home cook and computer whiz based in Texas.
WHAT: Orange, ginger, and mint join forces in a soda made for hot summers.
HOW: A few minutes of simmering is all it takes: just assemble the ingredients and let them meld together in a saucepan.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Whether served with just soda water or some, ahem, fortification in the form of rum or bourbon, this drink will keep us cool all season long. - A&M
Serves 6-8
- 2 oranges
- 1 1/2 cup demara [raw] sugar
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 8 1-inch pieces ginger
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 1 liter club soda
- crushed ice
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel rind from oranges in thin pieces, taking care not to get white pith on rind. Cut oranges in half and squeeze juice into a 3-quart saucepan.
- Add sugar and water to saucepan and place over medium high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium. Add orange rind, ginger, and mint; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain syrup, discarding solids. Store in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up 1 week.
- To make sodas, fill a tall glass halfway with crushed ice. Add 1/4 cup of orange-ginger-mint syrup to glass and top off with club soda. If desired, add a splash of orange-flavored vodka or spiced rum to glass before topping with club soda. Garnish with thin slice of orange and a couple of mint leaves.
- Your Best Recipe with Mint Contest Finalist!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Poolside Cocktail
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Soda Fountain Recipe
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10 months ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Congratulations! This sounds like a perfectly refreshing summer soda - now to figure out what adult mix-ins to try it with!
10 months ago EmilyC
My husband surprised me yesterday with a new Soda Stream, so I knew I had to give these a try. The orange-ginger-mint simple syrup is really nice (like the use of raw sugar). I used two giant oranges, which yielded exactly one cup of juice. If your oranges are on the small side, I'd use three or even four. And definitely don't skip the garnish...I liked the sodas the most once I squeezed some fresh juice from the orange slices and muddled with more mint. Looking forward to drinking these all week long!
10 months ago Burnt Offerings
With temps soaring into the 100's here in Baltimore, this recipe was instantly appealing on all levels. Absolutely pitch perfect for summer. Makes a wonderful, light, non-cloying simple syrup with the perfect bite of ginger, and coolness of mint, that is refreshing, versatile, and oh so good with or without booze. The kids liked it as much as the grownups. We used orange vodka, but spiced rum would be brilliant too, and it would also be excellent mixed with a good ginger beer. Have a mason jar of this in your fridge on hand all summer and you won't mind the heat.
10 months ago Bevi
This sounds great as a drink and a poaching liquid. Congrats!
10 months ago Maria Teresa Jorge
Great recipe, congratulations on being a finalist!
10 months ago em-i-lis
Emily is a trusted source on General Cooking.
congratulations, gr8chefmb! it's a beautiful drink!
10 months ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Congratulations! This looks crazy delicious and refreshing. Seriously perfect for the heat wave that's been cooking us all!
10 months ago Madhuja
I tested this recipe and the orange ginger mint combination was absolutely perfect! This is exactly what I want on a scorching summer day! Congratulations on being a finalist!
10 months ago gingerroot
Congrats on being a finalist! I have two oranges from my tree that are destined for this soda.
10 months ago EmilyC
Congrats! Having just recently had a baby, I always appreciate good non-boozy drink options! Because oranges are so variable in their amount of juice, how much juice should I use? Maybe 1/2 cup, or more?
10 months ago BlueKaleRoad
Congratulations! What a refreshing summer soda - can't wait to try it!
10 months ago Midge
So excited to try this. Congrats!
10 months ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Yum...congratulations on being a finalist!
10 months ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Congratulations on being a finalist, this is a gorgeous drink, perfect for a hot summers day!
10 months ago savorthis
Mmm- I love spicy ginger in drinks and the orange and mint sound like a great pairing. Congrats!
10 months ago meganvt01
Beautiful recipe - congrats on being a finalist!
almost 2 years ago gr8chefmb
I consider a bunch of mint to be approximately 1 cup loosely packed leaves. As with all recipes, adjust to taste. I happen to love mint, so this was perfect for me. Not everyone loves it as much, so the next time you make it, perhaps use only half a bunch. Hope this helps! :-) BTW-enjoy that 90 degree weather; here in Dallas, we are apparently attempting to break the 1980 record for most consecutive days of 100+ degree temps....I'm melting....Iii'mmm melting! LOL! :-)
almost 2 years ago bottomupfood
We tried this yesterday in the 90 degree weather and it did the trick. I like that the recipe basically sets you up with a syrup instead of a finished mixed drink. We put the syrup in a mason jar, made a few drinks, and stashed the rest in the fridge for later. The only problem we ran into was with the mint: How big, exactly, is a bunch of mint? I think we overminted things a bit. It would be great to get a weight for the mint.