Honey ginger ale with fresh mint

A homemade ginger ale, sweetened with honey instead of syrup, is a genuinely good thing to keep in the fridge. You make a small honey-ginger syrup once, at the stove for about 30 minutes, and then pour it over ice all week.

Ginger is a source of gingerol, a compound traditionally used to soothe an unsettled stomach, which is part of why a ginger drink feels good after a meal. The mint is steeped in at the end for its cooling note. The honey carries a modest, deliberate sweetness that makes this feel like a real treat.

Make a batch, keep it in the fridge, and pour a glass whenever you want something with sparkle in your hand. A small ritual, repeated, is its own kind of care.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• ice
• sparkling water, to top

Method

Bring the water to a boil. Add the honey and the grated ginger, then lower to a simmer over medium heat. Let it reduce by about half, which takes roughly 30 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped mint. Let it steep for 10 minutes.

Strain the syrup and keep it in the refrigerator. Source comments say it holds about a month chilled, or it can be frozen.

To serve, pour about 1 tablespoon of syrup over ice in an 8-ounce glass and top with sparkling water.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*