Corduroy Orange

Garbage to Gourmet

So you’ve got a knob of fresh ginger.  You peel it before you cut it.  What do you do with the scraps?

If you’re like most people, the scraps are probably going into the garbage or (preferably) the compost.  But those scraps are perfectly good.  They’ve got lots of flavor in them even if the the texture leaves something to be desired.  So, use them to make the best darn ginger ale you’ve ever tasted. 

• 2/3 cup finely chopped fresh ginger; scraps and peels are OK.
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Juice of 1 or 2 limes (depending on your preference)
• Water to make 1 cup liquid
• 1 liter seltzer water
• ice for topping off

Juice the two limes and add enough water to make 1 cup total liquid.  Combine in a saucepan with the ginger and the sugar.  Bring this mix to a boil, stir once, and remove from heat.  Let the ginger steep in the syrup for at least a half hour to extract the flavor.

Strain the syrup into a pitcher with a bit of ice to chill it down, if it’s still warm.  Add seltzer, and top with ice.

Yield: 2 quarts soda