Ginger Digestifs: Drink to Your Health
While wine is associated with heart health, hard liquor reminds us of headaches and hangovers. But the beauty of hard liquor is in its ability to extract chemicals from ingredients infused in it — think of alternative medicine tonics made from dried herbs. Sure, we’re not making a thousand-year-old Chinese medicine tonic, but we can go for second best: the after-dinner digestif.
Liquors infused with herbs, flowers and spices that aid digestion are known as digestifs. They are usually enhanced with simple syrup, as the pure infusion can be quite bitter, and served after a meal to soothe the stomach and increase digestion.
Try our recipe for a ginger digestif cocktail. Ginger’s already well-known for its ability to calm nausea, cramps and indigestion, and its natural sweet earthy flavor makes for one tasty digestif.
Cheers, to your health!
Ginger Digestif
Ingredients:
1 cup peeled, sliced ginger
2 cups grain alcohol, such as Everclear
1 1/2 cups Simple Syrup
1) Combine ginger and alcohol in a glass jar. Cover and steep 5 days. Strain, mix well with Simple Syrup, and store in the freezer. Enjoy a teaspoon for stomach aches, or a 2-ounce shot sipped slowly after a large meal.
Still thirsty? Get more winter infusion recipes here.
Image: mkorcuska
