What is Grenadine syrup?
Contrary to popular belief, grenadine is not made of cherries, but with a base of pomegranate juice. It got its name from the French language, where the word for "pomegranate" is "Grenade". It has a rich red color and a combination of sweetness and tartness in flavor.
Grenadine syrup is widely used in mixing non-alcoholic cocktails.
Personally, I prefer just adding some pomegranate juice into drinks, because it does the job and already has 15 grams of sugar. But if you want to mix by the book, or add some extra flavors to make aromatics more complicated, here is how to make Grenadine at home.
Ingredients
You will need:
Pomegranate juice, a good one, preferably from the organic store.
Demerara sugar (or any brown sugar of your choice)
Extra flavoring, if you want one - orange zest/cinnamon/star anise/clove/etc.
How to make Grenadine syrup
The cooking process is remarkably easy.
For 100 grams of pomegranate juice, you will need 30 grams of sugar.
Pour the juice into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add sugar and stir until it completely dissolves. If you go with extra flavoring, add them together with sugar.
Leave it to cool, and that's it, Grenadine syrup is ready.
My favorite use is the "Roy Rogers" cocktail, which is, just to remind you, 50 ml of Grenadine syrup and 300 ml of Coca-Cola in a highball glass.