I always buy too much ginger; it’s so cheap at the local Indian grocery and the pieces are enormous. After using a full pound in a batch of fire cider, I still had mounds of it so I made ginger syrup.

It’s great for easing an upset stomach, and we make a homemade version of ginger beer by adding a little to seltzer water. Add it to hot lemon water with a sprig of thyme to soothe sore throats and ease cold symptoms. It’s delicious in lemonade too, and criminally good in cocktails.

To make the syrup wash the whole root and rough chop it. No need to peel it but do remove any weird spots. Add about 2 cups of your chopped ginger to a sauce pan with 2.5 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar. Give it a stir, cover it, and bring to a low boil. Cook for at least 5 minutes to kill any yeast or bacteria, then keeping it cover, allow it to cool for an hour or two. Strain and bottle. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of months but throw it out if it develops mold on top.

You can add a split vanilla been and a few slices of lemon or orange to your saucepan during the boil if you’re extra.