The Abundance of Citrus: How to Make Oleosaccharum and Enjoy the Flavors of Winter

In the winter, citrus trees are at their peak, producing an abundance of fruit that can be overwhelming for some. In Phoenix, for example, it's not uncommon for homeowners to receive huge boxes of free blood oranges or Eureka lemons starting in January. This excess citrus can be a blessing in disguise, as it provides the opportunity to create delicious and versatile syrups like oleosaccharum.

Oleosaccharum is a type of syrup that is made by infusing citrus peels in sugar. The process is simple: peel the colorful zest away from the white pith, set the zest in a bowl, and pour sugar over it. Some people speed up the process by smashing the zest with a muddler or vacuum sealing the mixture, but the creator of this video prefers to let it sit on the countertop all day, stirring it up every couple hours when they pass by. The result is a sweet syrup that tastes like a pure expression of the fruit used.

This syrup can be made with various types of citrus, including grapefruit, lime, and orange. There are no hard and fast rules for making oleosaccharum, as long as you peel the zest correctly and infuse it in sugar. The creator of this video recommends starting with a cup of citrus peels and a half cup of sugar, but notes that the amount can be adjusted depending on your desired batch size.

One of the most impressive things about oleosaccharum is its versatility. Not only can you use it to make delicious lemonade or limeade, but you can also strain the solids out and use the resulting syrup in cocktails. Imagine swapping out simple syrup for orange oleo in an old-fashioned cocktail – it's a game-changer. The creator of this video notes that high-end bartenders love oleosaccharum because it allows them to create unique and complex flavors without using artificial sweeteners.

Some people are experimenting with using citric and malic acid instead of sugar to draw out the citrus oils, and using the resulting syrup as a substitute for simple syrup in cocktails. This process is being referred to as "super juice," and it's allowing bartenders to increase yield and reduce waste. The creator of this video notes that they'll be sharing more information on this process in future videos.

In addition to making delicious syrups, there's another product that's worth mentioning: Kettle & Fire bone broth. This company uses 100% grass-fed grass-finished beef bones and 100% pasture-raised chicken bones, simmering them for over 20 hours with organic vegetables, spices, and apple cider vinegar. The result is a high-quality broth that has no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors added. Kettle & Fire bone broth is available online and in every major U.S. grocery store, and can be purchased with a delivery subscription that offers a discount.

If you do choose to buy some of Kettle & Fire's bone broth, the creator of this video recommends using a special code at checkout to get 20% off your whole order. The code and link will be in the description below, so be sure to check it out if you're interested in trying this delicious product for yourself.

The Benefits of Ginger Syrup

Ginger syrup is another versatile ingredient that can add depth and complexity to cocktails. But making ginger syrup from scratch requires a little bit of effort – which is why many bartenders are looking for shortcuts. In the past, a common way to make ginger syrup was to simply place slices of fresh ginger in a pot of honeyed water, letting it steep for a while before straining out the solids.

However, this method has its limitations. The resulting syrup can be quite overpowering, and may not provide the level of complexity that bartenders are looking for. That's why some creators are now experimenting with making ginger syrup from scratch using all-natural ingredients. One popular recipe involves simmering slices of fresh ginger in a mixture of water and honey until the liquid has reduced to a thick, syrupy consistency.

This method requires a bit more effort than simply placing slices of ginger in a pot of honeyed water, but the result is well worth it. The resulting syrup is complex and nuanced, with a deep, spicy flavor that can elevate even the simplest cocktails. Whether you're looking for a way to add depth to your drinks or just want to experiment with new flavors, making ginger syrup from scratch using all-natural ingredients is definitely worth trying.

The Importance of Using High-Quality Ingredients

When it comes to making delicious syrups and cocktails, the quality of the ingredients used can make all the difference. This is especially true when it comes to citrus syrups like oleosaccharum, which rely on high-quality fruit peels to provide their unique flavor.

That's why many bartenders are now turning to brands that use only the best ingredients, such as Kettle & Fire bone broth. This company uses 100% grass-fed grass-finished beef bones and 100% pasture-raised chicken bones, simmering them for over 20 hours with organic vegetables, spices, and apple cider vinegar. The result is a high-quality broth that has no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors added.

Using high-quality ingredients like this can make all the difference in the taste of your cocktails and syrups. It's not just about using fresh fruit peels – it's also about using the right type of sugar, spices, and other flavorings to bring out the best in your ingredients. By choosing products that use only the best ingredients, you can create delicious and unique flavors that will set you apart from other bartenders.

Conclusion

Making oleosaccharum and enjoying the flavors of winter is a simple yet rewarding process. With just a few basic ingredients – citrus peels, sugar, and water – you can create a delicious and versatile syrup that can be used in a variety of cocktails and desserts. Whether you're looking for a way to add depth to your drinks or just want to experiment with new flavors, making oleosaccharum is definitely worth trying.

By experimenting with different types of citrus and flavorings, you can create unique and complex syrups that will elevate even the simplest cocktails. And by using high-quality ingredients like Kettle & Fire bone broth, you can ensure that your drinks are not only delicious but also made with the best ingredients possible. So go ahead – get creative, experiment with new flavors, and enjoy the abundance of citrus that winter has to offer!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en‘Round here, citrus trees pop off in the winter and keep producing bushels of fruit until the  summer time. If you live in Phoenix and anyone you know has a citrus tree in their yard, you can  expect a huge box of free blood oranges or eureka lemons starting in January, and you won’t be  able to give no for an answer. There’s simply too many of them. You don’t need to be told how  useful citrus is in the kitchen, but when I find myself needing to get rid of pounds and pounds of  the stuff, I make oleosaccharum. All it takes is about a cup of citrus peels and a half cup  of sugar. The amount doesn’t have to be exact, and you can eyeball it, scale it up, or scale it down,  depending on your desired batch size. You can use all grapefruit, all lime, a mix of three different  citrus... there really aren’t many rules here. Just peel the colorful zest away from the white pith,  set the zest in a bowl, and pour sugar over it. Some people speed the process up by smashing the  zest with a muddler or vacuum sealing the mixture, but I just let it sit on the countertop all day,  stirring it up every couple hours when I pass by it. The oils (oleo) get pulled out of the  peels by the sugar (saccharum), and you’re left with a sweet syrup that tastes like a  pure expression of the fruit you used. This lasts several weeks in the fridge, and I’ve seen people  add everclear to help it last even longer. If you’ve ever had that really good lemonade from  the state fair or Hot Dog on a Stick, this is how you’d replicate that flavor. Make an  olleosacharum out of 6 lemons and 1 cup of sugar, waiting at least 2 hours for the oils to extract. Even better— leave it overnight.Boil 5 cups of water, dissolve the oleosaccharum in said water,  then strain the sweetened water into a container. Take those 6 peeled lemons, cut 'em in half, and  juice them all into the container. Let this cool and serve it over ice. This, to me, is peak lemonade,  and it works just as well for limeade. It’s all possible because of one fancy little  syrup with a long pretentious-sounding name.When you make oleosaccharum, you can strain  the solids out and use that in place of simple syrup in any cocktail. Imagine swapping out the simple  syrup in an old fashioned with orange oleo. Try using a lime oleo to sweeten your jamaica instead  of plain sugar. I bet you’re starting to see why high-end bartenders love oleosaccharum so much,  and we just so happen to be living through a sort of revolution taking place in the space.  Some people are using citric and malic acid instead of sugar to draw out the citrus oils, and using  that oleo-citrate to make what they’re calling “super juice”, which allows bartenders to wildly  increase yield and reduce waste. I’ll link to the video I saw where this is explained in detail.Before I go, I wanna talk about ginger syrup. This technically isn’t an oleosaccharum since there’s  no citrus oil in ginger, but the underlying concept is still sort of there. Take a whole knob of  ginger, skins and all, slice it into manageable pieces, and mash it up in a food processor with  a half cup of sugar. Scrape the bowl, and let it sit for 5 minutes before blitzing and  scraping once more. The sugar is gonna melt into those ginger juices, and you’re able to  strain the solids out to make one absolute punch in the mouth of a ginger syrup. Remember my  impressive cocktail video in which I advised you to make a ginger syrup by plopping a couple slices into  a pot of honeyed water? Errrh wrong that is not impressing anybody. We're out here making cocktails out of  ingredients that have 6 syllables in them now... we need a ginger syrup that’ll spontaneously  generate pectoral follicles I’ll take my 1600 SAT score now please it’s only a decade late.Kettle & Fire has paid to be mentioned at the end of this video. Kettle and Fire is a brand of bone  broth that uses 100% grass-fed grass-finished beef bones and 100% pasture-raised chicken bones.They  simmer the bones for over 20 hours with organic vegetables, spices, and apple cider vinegar,  and there are no antibiotics, no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors added.  You can use this stuff like regular chicken or beef broth in recipes like a braise, but these  days a lot of people just heat up a mug of pure bone broth and sip that on its own, especially if  they’re aiming to address personal health goals like increased collagen or whole30-compliant  protein intake. You can  buy Kettle and Fire online and save 20% with a delivery subscription, but it’s also available  in every major U.S. grocery store. I like the idea of a high-quality broth that has a 2-year  shelf life without artificial preservatives, and it’s a fitting product for an ad at the end of a  video all about extracting the good stuff from simple ingredients. If you do choose to buy some  of Kettle and Fire’s bone broth, use this code at checkout and get 20% off your whole order.The code and the link will be in the description as well.\n"