Ginger Tea Recipe, Ginger Ale, Ginger Vodka

Ginger Tea, Ginger Ale, Ginger Vodka.

All homemade, in a jiffy. Ginger Lovers, you will be in Umami Heaven. I make 1 1/2 gallons of ginger tea in minutes, no commercial counterpart of ginger tea begins to compare. Why think of fresh ginger tea only on sick days, since it can be enjoyed just because it is so delicious in its own right?

I get 1 pound young ginger with clean skin, so I don’t even need to peel it, only scraping off tough and dirty spots. Grind the ginger in a food processor, bring it to a boil with 6 quarts of water, then simmer 10 to 15 minutes. The liquid is very strong, like a ginger tea concentrate. Strain only the amount of liquid you are using into a cup, pressing hard on the solid so as not to lose any of the precious liquid. Add hot water to taste for tea, and drink it as is, or with your favorite sweetener. I like my ginger tea very strong, so I use about 1 part concentrate and 1 part water. Heat up your tea in a small pot, or in a microwave.  Iced ginger tea is delicious too, just add water and ice, and sweetener to taste.

Save the unused portion of tea in glass jars in the refrigerator. The flavor will intensify. Keep straining the part you will be using.

Ginger Ale: Fabulous! Strain the concentrate to taste into a tall glass or a pitcher, add seltzer, sweetener to taste, with or without ice.

Ginger Vodka: I have a heavy-duty Ginger Liqueur Recipe in my Whole Foods Cookbook, so this is just a quick but delicious alcoholic drink: strained ginger tea concentrate into a glass, add the same amount of vodka, a little fresh-squeezed lemon, maple syrup to taste and ice. Stir thoroughly to combine.