2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Everyone's idea of perfect relaxation is different, but there is almost always one element - the glass with a favorite cocktail. Served on the beach or in front of the fireplace in a mountain hut, it is always associated with carefree, rest and cheerful mood. Therefore, the cocktails are very diverse and include all sorts of ingredients, satisfying even the most capricious taste.
It is an extremely popular ingredient in alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails grenadine. It is a thick and sweet pomegranate syrup. Why is this ingredient so popular and preferred?
It is a basic additive that creates the drink, changes and enriches the ingredients that are included, acting on all the senses - taste, aroma, color. It is used to make some of the most exquisite cocktails, and at the same time it can be served as a light refreshing lemonade. It is one of those simple drinks that turn out to be ingenious, because they are an ideal element for anyone who loves the extras of life, that is, for all of us.
History, composition and benefits of grenadine
The creation of the grenadine sounds almost like an overseas legend. In the island of Grenada, as far back as 1891, a delicious syrup was invented, originally obtained from pomegranate pulp. Mixing sugar syrup with the juice of the interesting red fruit gives an impressive result - grenadine syrup - dense, sour and very sweet, incredible mix of taste sensations.
It is believed that grenadine is not the work of a single creator, the recipe is folk and easy to make at home, as long as the main products are at hand. The creation is natural and ecologically clean. Drinking it is good for health, because the fruit from which the original grenadine is made - pomegranate, is considered the fruit of life and strength, and this is a completely justified view.
Only 100 milliliters of pomegranate juice contains 16 percent of the daily dose of vitamin C, many B vitamins, potassium and polyphenols. Gluten, which more and more people are intolerant to, is absent. Calories are also minimal and therefore it is good to take in diets.
This wonderful juice, from which the popular syrup is made, also has healing properties - it relieves headaches, protects against heart problems and even has a beneficial effect on prostate cancer. The tannins that are extracted when it is obtained stop the disorder.
In its classic form the basis of grenadine is created from the mature juice of the pomegranate fruit. This is the original version, which is still observed in the Mediterranean countries. This is what they do in Spain, the Maghreb countries and others.
Now on the market appears juice based on black currants, strawberries, raspberries or cherries. These changes were started by the French. In their case today, the juice is 10 percent juice from some red fruit and vanilla or fruit extracts with a little lemon juice. Sometimes other spices are added.
Changes in the composition of the grenadine due to the economic interests of producers. Cherry juice or extracts from it, for example, are cheaper than pomegranate and the juice produced from it. Strawberry, raspberry and any other red fruit can replace the original and is more budget-friendly. There is nothing fresh in the cheap products under this name, natural products have been replaced by dyes and fragrances.
Application of grenadine
The taste of grenadine can vary, depending on its exact composition. The classic product has a very sweet taste and is a highly viscous liquid. The aroma of the real pomegranate fruit makes the senses set for an endless fiesta. And the beautiful red color is used in the preparation of cocktails to create a gradation of red, as in the Tequila Sunrise cocktail. However, it can also be consumed as a pleasant red flavored lemonade.
The hosts who know grenadine, create amazing masterpieces in the home kitchen. It finds a good place in pies, jellies or various mousses prepared at home. The ice cream gets a magical taste with grenadine syrup.
Just a few drops of it completely transform the taste of cheesecake. Only imagination and taste preferences can be the buffer for experiments with sweet syrup.
How to make grenadine syrup at home?
Before embarking on this culinary adventure, one must know a basic fact - the suitability of grenadine syrup is a few weeks.
A second important clarification is that complete sterilization of the vessels used is required.
The ingredients are simple and include only 2 elements - half a liter of natural pomegranate juice and about 500 grams of sugar.
The mixed juice and sugar are boiled until the amount is reduced by half. The time required is usually about 35 minutes.
The finished syrup is cooled, alcohol and vanilla are added to it and it is poured into a glass container, which is kept closed.
Grenadine cocktails
Many successful cocktails are created on the basis of this syrup - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Mimosa cocktail with champagne is a tempting option, including grenadine juice with vodka, orange juice, champagne and orange decoration.
The famous Tequila Sunrise cocktail is made from 3 parts tequila, 6 parts fresh citrus, and grenadine is 1 part to give this look to the beautiful sunrise, which enchants.
A great opportunity for Bulgarian cuisine is the Sea Breeze cocktail, because it is made with the participation of apricot brandy, grapefruit juice and cranberry and grenadine. If the brandy is removed, a non-alcoholic cocktail is obtained. This option is suitable even for children on hot summer days, because it quenches thirst.
Non-alcoholic cocktails are also of great interest. The perfect cocktail for young girls without alcohol is based on non-alcoholic sweet mixes, such as Multifruit, for the preparation of which orange, pineapple and lemon juice are mixed with the addition of grenadine syrup. The cocktail is sweet and gentle and very popular among girls.
A delicious non-alcoholic mixture called Vulcan is also easy to prepare at home. Orange, mango, lemon juice and a few drops of grenadine are the ingredients of a pleasant and refreshing drink. If you add a little champagne and decorate the glass with a slice of lemon, it becomes suitable for an alcoholic cocktail.
Presence of grenadine in other beverages
In some stores grenadine is sold mixed with alcohol and is an independent drink, but then it can not be included in syrups and is used mainly for alcoholic cocktails. In itself, such a mix is more like a liqueur. It is served mostly as a drink accompanying meat dishes.
At the end of the last century, some European countries produced beer with added grenadine, which neutralized the bitter taste, unpleasant for many. Some culinary experts recommend adding it to coffee to emphasize the rich taste. Grenadine can be added to a variety of drinks for a new and interesting taste.
It is necessary to clarify that when buying ready-made grenadine you must carefully read the label, because there are many products composed only of artificial ingredients and dyes, imitation of the real grenadine.
