There's a downside to trying new things, though. We don't like to talk about it. But sometimes...sometimes new things aren't as awesome as you expected. That doesn't mean you won't try it again. Maybe you made a mistake in preparation. Maybe you just weren't ready. I speak from personal experience here. It wasn't until I wanted to eat vegetables that I actually enjoyed eating them and craved them. So trust me on this.
I tried this recipe with high expectations. I'm calling it a flop, with the caveat that I likely went overboard with the vinegar... I will try it again with a more cautious dose of vinegar.
So...this wasn't exactly my favorite drink. I gave it a solid try, but had to pour it down the sink, bemoaning the loss of perfectly good ginger ale and vodka (I clearly have priorities). It wasn't my favorite, but that doesn't mean it might not be yours.
Fizzy Lifting Drink
From The Sugar Cube: 50 Deliciously Twisted Treats from the Sweetest Little Food Cart on the Planet by Kir Jensen
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients:
1 cup ginger ale
1/2 - 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 - 2 tbsp. Japanese plum drinking vinegar (aka Ume plum vinegar)
Ice
2 oz. vodka (optional)
Preparation:
Pour ginger ale into a tall glass half-filled with ice. Add grated ginger and plum vinegar and vodka, if using. Stir with a spoon and drink up!
Notes:
--I went all out with 2 tbsp. of plum vinegar. I'd strongly suggest you start out at 1 tbsp...and add more in if so desired. The vinegar has a very salty and bitter flavor that threw me. Not even my favorite ginger ale could make it better.
--When it comes to ginger ale, I don't think you can beat Reed's Extra Ginger Brew. Their raspberry ginger brew is terrific too.
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| Check out the fizz! |
I can't lie.....I sort of want to try this. It actually sounds like something I would love. But it does seem odd to put vinegar in something that you drink. Even if it sounds like a tasty plum vinegar. Perhaps we can make together next time?!?!
ReplyDeleteMost certainly! I have a nearly full bottle of Ume to use up and no other recipes for it.
DeleteThe fizz looks awesome! And I love all those flavors, so I bet I would like it :)
ReplyDeleteSues
The recipe excited me too! Just add the Ume vinegar slowly. It's much saltier than I anticipated, and there's few things sadder than pouring Reed's ginger ale down the drain. When I try it again, I'll add it by the teaspoon.
Deleteyou know, when i had this book over the summer (library rental) i really wanted to try this drink. it looked so interesting. NO ONE ELSE had any interest in it, and i didn't want to waste it all on myself.
ReplyDeletei'm sad it was a disappointment; even sadder that you had to discard it (you're right: discarding good ingredients because they turned into something less than good always bums me out). i think when spring rolls around again, or maybe even january when i want something peppy, i'm going to try this, using your tips, and hope it turns out for me. thank you for being a guinea pig of sorts. :)
You are most welcome! The Sugar Cube is a good little book with some different recipes, but it hasn't been as awesome as I hoped it would be (or maybe I've been more impressed with other cookbooks I'd bought around the same time). I actually pulled it off the shelf to try out a few other recipes in the near future, so you can see how those go too!
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