Make Grenadine-Like Syrup From Almost Any Fruit Juice
As a child, grenadine seemed to be the pinnacle of sophistication, mainly because I had no idea what it was. All I knew was that he was at Shirley Temples, had an attractive sensual burgundy hue and could be found next to little bottles of club soda and margarita mix. If I knew it was just a pomegranate-flavored syrup, I would still be very impressed because I was a kid and only read about pomegranates in Greek mythology.
You can make your own grenadine by mixing pomegranate juice with the same amount of sugar, but why settle for pomegranate, especially when you consider how expensive pomegranate juice is? Just about any fruit juice can be made into a grenadine-like syrup. I say almost because citrus juices can be tricky. I don’t think OJ syrup would be very good, although lemonade syrup would absolutely do.
Berry juices like cherry, cranberry, and strawberry are natural candidates for grenadine replacements, but I bet you could find uses for peach, Concorde grapes, and apple. Also, don’t ignore the “cocktail” family of fruity drinks – I think Hawaiian Punch syrup would be pretty good, especially in a summer old-fashioned drink. Sweetness is a goal when making syrups, and it can be a good way to use up any “too sweet” juice drinks you may have bought by mistake.
To make any of these fruit syrups, all you have to do is mix a cup of juice with a cup of sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. If your juice is tart (like unsweetened cranberries) or you want a thicker syrup, you can double the sugar. Let everything cool, then bottle and refrigerate for at least a month. Add syrup to Singaporean slings, mimosas, plain soda, or anything that calls for a little fruity sweetness.