Everyone's idea of perfect relaxation is different, but there is almost always one element - a glass of your favorite cocktail. Served on the beach or in front of the fireplace in a mountain hut, it is always associated with being carefree, resting and a cheerful mood. Therefore, the cocktails are very diverse and include all sorts of ingredients that satisfy even the most capricious taste.
An extremely popular ingredient in alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails is grenadine. It is 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 and has an effect 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. This is one of those simple drinks that turn out to be ingenious, because they are an ideal element for anyone who loves the luxuries in life, that is - 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 an interesting red fruit has an impressive result - grenadine syrup - thick, sour and very a sweet, amazing mix of flavors.
It is believed that grenadine is not the work of a single creator, the recipe is popular 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 the health, because the fruit from which the original grenadine - pomegranate is made, 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 can be consumed during a diet.
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 base of grenadine is created from ripe 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.
Juices based on blackcurrant, strawberries, raspberries or cherries are now on the market. These changes were started by the French. 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.
The changes in the composition of grenadine are due to the economic interests of the producers. Cherry juice or extracts of 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 flavors.
Grenadine application
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 get ready 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.
People, who know grenadine, create amazing masterpieces in their kitchen at home. It finds a good place in pies, jellies or various mousses prepared at home. Ice cream aquires 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 anyone embarks on this culinary adventure, you need to know a basic fact - the shelf life of grenadine syrup is a few weeks.
A second important clarification is that complete sterilization of the cookware 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 one tempting option, including grenadine juice with vodka, orange juice, champagne and orange decorations.
The famous Tequila Sunrise cocktail is made from 3 parts tequila, 6 parts fresh citrus and 1 part grenadine, in order to create this beautiful sunrise look, which enchants.
The Sea Breeze cocktail is made with 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 you can mix orange, pineapple and lemon juice with the addition of grenadine syrup. The cocktail is sweet and delicate and very popular among girls.
A delicious non-alcoholic mixture called Volcano is also easy to prepare at home. Orange, mango, lemon juice and a few drops of grenadine are the ingredients of the 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 drinks
In some stores, grenadine is sold mixed with alcohol and is an independent beverage, 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, which is 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 flavor.
It is necessary to clarify that when buying ready-made grenadine, the label should be read carefully, because many products are offered, composed only of artificial ingredients and dyes, imitating real grenadine.
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