Like many people I know, I prefer to avoid restaurants on Valentine's Day. Instead I like to stay home and make something special for my sweetheart. When I'm trying to decide what to make, I think romance.
Romance = spicy + sweet = ginger root.
If you do an internet search for "ginger syrup cocktail recipes" you will find a gazillion ideas, but first you need to make the Ginger Syrup. It's pretty easy. All you need is ginger root, sugar and water. Before you know it you'll be making cocktails that look like this:
If you prefer a stimulating nonalcoholic drink made with ginger, try this refresher from Heidi Swanson's book "Super Natural Every Day".
It's called Sparkling Panakam.
Photo by Heidi Swanson
You can easily adapt Heidi's Sparkling Panakam recipe to include your homemade ginger syrup by omitting the first two ingredients (sugar & ground ginger) from her recipe's ingredient list.
Ginger root is not only delicious, but it's good for you too. It's been used for everything from easing the pain of arthritis to settling queasy stomachs to boosting circulation. Making ginger syrup for drinks is only one way to benefit from ginger root, and I think it's a great place to start.
Ginger root, I think you'll be my true love 4-ever.