Lemon Verbena And Herbal Simple Syrups For Lemonade Etc! - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
Variations
1 fresh vanilla bean
fresh herbs such as lemon verbena leaf (or rosemary sprig or mint leaf or basil leaves)
lemon peel strip
1 inch piece fresh ginger

Preparation

In a saucepan combine water and sugar. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Add one of the infusions; boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes more.
Remove from heat; cover and cool in saucepan for 1 hour. Remove and discard infusion ingredients.
Transfer syrup to a clean covered storage container. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, or may be frozen. Makes 2 cups syrup.
VARIATIONS:
VANILLA INFUSION: Add one fresh vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, to the hot sugar-water mixture. If desired, after cooling, remove the vanilla bean and use the tip of a small knife to scrape the seeds from the beans into the syrup (flecks of dark seeds will color the crystal-clear syrup).
FRESH HERB INFUSION: Add three 3-to-4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary; 3/4 cup lemon-verbena or mint leaves, slightly crushed; or 3/4 cup basil leaves, slightly crushed, to the hot sugar-water mixture.
LEMON-GINGER INFUSION: Add three 1x3-inch strips of lemon peel and a 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced, to the hot sugar-water mixture.