Eatsy: Plum & Ginger Natural Soda From Brooklyn Soda Works

kittykatherine

Story by kittykatherine

Published on Sept 08, 2010 in Make

Photo by Brooklyn Soda Works

Nowadays a lot of folks are popping up with alternatives to commercially available foods. One such newbie is Brooklyn Soda Works and we couldn’t be more glad they’re here.

Their origins are humble enough: Caroline Mak and Antonio Ramos, an artist and a chemist by training, looked everywhere for a ginger-y “ginger beer” but came up empty. So they made their own, it was great, and they decided to make more. They filled out an application and started selling at a local hot spot, the Brooklyn Flea market.

Soon, foodies took notice. BSW’s sodas are seasonal, refreshing, unique, never too sweet and always just right. Their operation is thoughtful and principled. Fresh squeezed fruit — much of it sourced from an orchard in upstate New York, Red Jacket Orchard — is carbonated and lightly sweetened, chilled and poured straight from kegs, no ice necessary. Their sodas change weekly and the flavors, inspired by dishes and cocktails Caroline and Antonio enjoy, are sophisticated and unexpected. Cucumber-lime-sea-salt, rhubarb-ginger-star-anise and grapefruit-jalapeño-honey are a few flavors that please.

With talented newbies like these stepping forth, operations like the Flea (where BSW’s sodas are sold every Saturday) are providing new platforms for talented food-inspired DIY-ers. Another organization supporting these industrious artisans are Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. Their 7th annual Harvest Fest, taking place October 2, will have a market where food artisans, Brooklyn Soda Works among them, will sell their creations.

Etsy also hopes to provide a platform, support and encouragement to all those interested in bringing their delicious food stuffs to the marketplace. While you write up your business plans or test your recipes, sip on this soda from BSW, the perfect late summer to early fall treat.

Thank you, Caroline and Antonio, for sharing. For more information on BSW, check out their pretty blog.

plum-ginger.jpg

Plum & Ginger Carbonated Juice (or Soda)
Makes 1 liter; serves 3-4 people

Ingredients:
3/4 pounds of plums
600 ml water
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Fresh ginger
The iSi soda siphon or seltzer water

Simmer the plums in the 600ml of water. They will start to break apart and soften after five minutes or so. Mash them with a wooden spoon until they fall apart, for approximately ten more minutes.

soda-finished.jpgSet a fine mesh sieve over a deep bowl and filter the plum mixture through, collecting the plum juice.

Add the turbinado sugar to the plum juice.

Grate enough fresh ginger to collect about 2-3 tablespoons of juice and add it to the plum juice.

Add enough cold water to make up to one liter of plum and ginger juice. Cool in fridge.

Pour the juice into the soda siphon; making sure the liquid is as cold as possible beforehand because it aids in absorption of carbon dioxide. Carbonate and serve!

If you don’t want to purchase a soda siphon, simmer the plum juice so it thickens and reduces slightly, and then add enough seltzer to get a bubbly refreshing drink.

All photos courtesy of Brooklyn Soda Works.

Kitty Greenwald, cook and author, coordinates all things Eatsy — our locally sourced food program. Through communal staff meals held around handmade farm tables, and via seasonal dishes shared with you on our blog, Eatsy aims to nourish and inspire through food.

Do you support your local farmers’ market? Tell us about your recipes in the comments and share links to Flickr photos. Let’s make everyone hungry!

More Recipes on the Blog | Plants and Edibles Category

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