Party Lab - Homemade Grenadine

Well, there was a reason I was initially reluctant to dive into the subject of party music … whew.

Anyway, with our large summer party now over and its fallout under analysis, there’ll be a bit more variation in this blog’s content in the not-too-distant future.

For instance, its been ages since we’ve discussed that marvelous social lubricant at any large event, the mixed drink, so let’s take a hiatus from theory and discuss making better drinks.

As a preamble to our summer party, I experimented with recipes for grenadine. Why? Well, finding real grenadine, that isn’t just some artificially flavored and colored corn syrup concoction, can be challenging, and the most readily available grenadine – Rose’s – doesn’t deserve that label (pomegranate people, where’s the pomegranate?!?), and will ruin most any real drink its used in. I’d put it in our hummingbird feeder, but I actually kind of like the hummingbirds in our yard.

Trader Vic’s Grenadine used to be good-tasting, if artificial, but since poor Vic’s estate has decided to save a few dollars by utterly debasing a brand name that for half a century stood for fine-quality comestibles, I’m not much inclined to use it anymore.  Though, in a pinch it will do, which is more than I can say for Trader Vic brand rum these days – just don’t; Vic himself wouldn’t have touched the stuff with the proverbial 10-foot pole, and but would have certainly said something pithy and far less delicate about it than I’m going to here.

That said, there is more choice appearing on the market as late when it comes to grenadine, which is a welcome thing – I’ve tried Stirring’s offering recently, and it was a step up. Also good was the Italian Toschi brand grenadine, though its worth noting that Toschi’s has a pronounced raspberry flavor on the finish that, if you expect your grenadine to be predominantly pomegranate flavored, will come as a surprise, and will noticeably alter the flavor of your beverage – whether for better or worse is a  matter of individual taste.

At any rate, I found three recipes on the web. I also tried the simple measure (I can hardly call it a recipe) of mixing Torani Pomegranate syrup 50/50 with Chateau Pomari pomegranate liqueur, to see what that yielded.

For the web recipes, I first I tried the David Wondrich cold-processed grenadine – again, so simple it barely constitutes a recipe. Containing just sugar and real pomegranate juice, it has a clean, fresh, natural taste, and is certainly worthy of use in any cocktail you happen to be making. Since it is just colored by the juice and lacks Red Dye #40, it is notably less red than its artificial competition, but this is not necessarily a bad aesthetic, and even if you feel the appearance of the drink is wanting, the difference in flavor should more than make up for this.

Cold-Process Grenadine

Take one cup of pomegranate juice, and place it in a jar with one cup of granulated sugar. Seal tightly and shake like hell until all of the sugar is dissolved. Add another ounce or two of sugar and repeat.

Clarke suggests: Adding an ounce of high-proof vodka or grain alcohol as a preservative, and storing in a plastic container in the freezer: “the high volume of sugar keeps it from freezing, you can just tip out a little frigid syrup each time you need it.

http://lupecboston.com/category/david-wondrich/

I add: Incorporating 100-proof vodka (Smirnoff makes one; don't use high-end stuff here) in any grenadine or homemade drink syrup you make is just a good idea, for the same reasons it is here.

The second recipe tried relies on gently heating the pomegranate juice to facilitate dissolving the sugar, then adding a small amount of lemon and orange flower water towards the end to add a little floral interest and depth to the finished product – and again, this yielded worthy results.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pomegranate juice, no sugar added
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 to 3 drops orange-flower water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat pomegranate juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until steam rises from the surface and a few bubbles have formed around the perimeter of the pan, about 5 minutes. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat.
2. Add sugar and stir until it has dissolved and the liquid is no longer cloudy, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in lemon juice and orange-flower water and let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a container with a tightfitting lid and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/28428-homemade-grenadine

The third recipe was similar to the second, in terms of its heating process and the addition of orange flower water – with the added ingredient of Middle Easter pomegranate molasses. This ingredient can be a bit challenging to find, but its addition really deepened both the flavor and color of the finished product.

Grenadine
2 cups fresh pomegranate juice (approximately two large pomegranates) or POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
2 cups unbleached sugar
2 oz pomegranate molasses
1 tsp orange blossom water
Heat juice slightly, just enough to allow other ingredients to dissolve easily. Stir in remaining ingredients, allow to cool, and bottle.

http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2009/how-to-make-your-own-grenadine/

Of the three recipes where you start with real pomegranate juice, the third one noted above with the pomegranate molasses is the one we consistently like best, whether it was tasted by itself, in a mixed drink, or in one of our son’s Shirley Temples (and yes, the 10-year old preferred the pomegranate molasses recipe too, interestingly enough).

Regarding the very first one I noted – the 50/50 blend of pomegranate liqueur and Torani pomegranate syrup: It gives you a spendy, very good (and mildly alcoholic) grenadine – and one that’s shelf-stable into the bargain, unlike any of those made from fresh juice - so its worth it particularly if you use grenadine so slowly that the freshmade ones would turn into petri dishes before you made it through your bottle, as this one is quite durable, and without the refrigeration I'd recommend for all the others at that.

And here, for your imbibing pleasure, is a simple, old-time cocktail that makes good use of grenadine:

Jack Rose

2 oz apple brandy (I like Carriage House or Laird’s Bottled in Bond here)

½ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz real grenadine

Shake with ice, strain, into cocktail glass. Depending on your grenadine, you may have to make a tiny adjustment to it in the drink depending on your tastes, and the overall sweet-tart balance. If this experimenting taught us anything, its that grenadines can vary widely in sweetness … and most anything else.