GINGER TEA

hi guys! i have never read ilc before but i think i should start as i am trying to be more adventurous with my cooking these days.

so, to start off, i have a question regarding ginger: what is the best way to get the most flavor out of raw ginger?

i am currently attempting to make a ginger-mint lemonade, which may or may not be boosted with whiskey, depending on your preference. i have muddled mint leaves in lemon juice and added a tiny bit of this ginger tea jelly i got at chinese new year to add a little sweetness, but i really don't like things that sweet. so, i shaved some fresh ginger root into it to boost the ginger flavor without adding anymore sugar. however, i am not tasting as much ginger as i'd like to. any suggestions for best way to slice/cut/whatever the ginger or the order in which ingredients are added to yield more ginger flavor? at the moment, i am letting it all marinate together before i add anything else like ice or water.

I think you'd have good luck steeping the ginger in hot water to get the most flavor out, then strain the liquid into your lemonade. Heating up the lemon juice would change the way it tastes too much.

Or, use vodka! I tried making ginger flavored vodka a few months ago, but let it sit far too long - really intense. But if you shaved up a bunch of ginger into a small amount of vodka, then sealed it up for a week or so, you'd have a bottle of pure ginger essence.

Also, yay to food adventures!

hmm, not so much a vodka fan, but i might try steeping in the hot water. i think at some point i shall have a tasting party to determine the best way to make this concoction.

one thing i have determined (which probably should have been obvious): mint leaves should go into glasses individually just before serving. sitting in the lemon juice makes them weird. might be easier to get a good ginger-lemon balance in the initial mixing that way, too.

did the mint get sludgey and brownish? that happened when my friend and i made vodka-mint-lemonade. no one wanted any because it looked like pond scum.

homemade lemonade is so good

the color was not too bad but it got a little bitter? maybe it was just not good mint :(

hey i didn't realize this was my first ilc thread to post on! since it's summer again, i am on my ginger quest. the other morning i picked up some solo 'ginger beer' at a bed-stuy bodega and it was way too sweet but the ginger flavor was sooo perfect! so, now i'm thinking of trying a ginger beer recipe, maybe w/ a bit less sugar, and putting that into the lemonade.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/QUICK-GINGER-BEER-234789

i need a food processor.

hot ginger and lemon tea so good. fuck you cold

<3

Or, use vodka! I tried making ginger flavored vodka a few months ago, but let it sit far too long - really intense. But if you shaved up a bunch of ginger into a small amount of vodka, then sealed it up for a week or so, you'd have a bottle of pure ginger essence.

I made this same mistake when doing homemade ginger vodka but it is wicked convenient to use as a seasoning in stir fries or whatever - way tastier than powdered ginger.

i just use fresh ginger in stir fries!

I hate grating that stuff...it's so fibrous...

chop it!

er, dice i guess.

mince :)

I've been making ginger tea with a recipe from this month's Vegetarian Times:

12 thin slices ginger, pounded with mortar
1 Tbs. honey

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 20 to 25 min.

Strain out ginger slices and discard. Stir in honey.

I want to try adding lemon next time.

I put slices of ginger in a flask. Afterva few hours you really get the burn.

The key to grating ginger: freeze it first. I keep mine in the freezer and grating it is easy and super fast.

buy this:

http://web.tradekorea.com/upload_file2/product/762/P00256762/oimg_GC04411935_CA04411952.jpg

Never occurred to me to freeze ginger - i love using it fresh in curries but every time I buy a few fingers they wrinkle up and get all manky before I use them much. Freezing!