Ginger-Ade
By Dana Jacobi
I grew up drinking "gingerade," my mother's name for water and fresh ginger boiled together and then left to steep like tea. During the holidays, while the grown-ups relaxed over cocktails, my cousins and I had our own sparkling drink, super-strong, sweetened gingerade on the rocks, garnished with an orange slice and a naughty, neon maraschino cherry. When we were sick or simply feeling chilled, my mother served it to us in a mug, steaming hot and sweetened with honey.

Today, with cocktails and mocktails the rage, I still turn gingerade into homemade soda. This lets me control the sweetness and all the other ingredients, as well. I include a cinnamon stick and star anise when infusing the ginger, but treat them as optional, if you wish.

Ginger-Ade
1/3 cup (3 oz.) thinly sliced, fresh ginger
1 whole star anise
3-in. piece stick cinnamon
1½ cups cold water
Agave, maple syrup, honey or sugar*
1 lemon, cut lengthwise into 4 wedges
To serve hot:
3 cups hot water
To serve cold:
3 cups cold seltzer or club soda
Place ginger, star anise, cinnamon and water in small saucepan. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover, and set aside to steep for 30 minutes. Strain hot ginger concentrate into heatproof measuring cup.

To serve hot, divide hot concentrate among 4 mugs. Add 3/4 cup hot water to each, and sweeten to taste. Add lemon wedge to squeeze into hot gingerade.

To serve cold, cool ginger concentrate to room temperature. Divide among 4 tall glasses. Add 6 ice cubes to each glass, then pour in 3/4 cup club soda. Sweeten cold gingerade to taste, add lemon wedge to each glass, and serve.

Unused concentrate will keep, tightly covered in refrigerator, for 3 days.

* If using sugar, combine 3/4 cup with 3/4 cup cold water in a small saucepan. Set the pot over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature, then use the syrup or refrigerate, tightly covered. This simple syrup keeps indefinitely.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving (includes 2 tsp. sweetener per serving): 54 calories, <1 g fat (0 g sat fat),
14 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, 0 g fiber, 3 mg sodium

Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life