This blood orange soda is almost like shoving a straw into a blood orange and taking a healthy sip – But with the added bonus of carbonation. Deeply flavored with both blood orange zest and juice – This soda is beautifully complex and fresh to death!
Obsession: An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.
Obsession: A scent created by Calvin Klein; very popular in the 90’s.
You wore obsession didn’t you? Admit it. It was the 90’s. It was the age of Calvin Klein and vogue battles.
Embarrassed? We’ll come back to that.
Today we’re going spark up a discussion on the former. I think it’s safe to say I am pretty much fixated on blood oranges. One thing does puzzle me: Why does every photo of blood oranges showcase that gorgeous deep, deep color?
It’s false advertising, people – Don’t believe the hype. When I sliced into my first blood orange I fully expected to see the dark hue found on the opening of the show Dexter. Clearly that was not the case. At first I thought it was a mistake – This isn’t a blood orange! That is ‘till I sliced into my third blood orange and found the hue I was looking for. The truth is, blood oranges come in a variety of shades – From deep purples, to dark pinks, to a tie dye purple orange situation. Slicing open a blood orange is like opening a variety box of chocolates.
Blood oranges hues are beautiful, their flavor both earthy and citrusy. Deep. It is simultaneously JUST like yet unlike every other citrus fruit. And though I desired to fold this multifaceted flavor into cake batter, stuff it in a donut, or muddle it with alcohol – I choice to enhance it in syrup and carbonate the crap out it.
So therein lays my obsession – In this Blood Orange Soda. I can’t get enough. We can’t get enough. I can’t think straight. It’s ridiculous. I schlep pounds and pounds of blood oranges to the Bronx where I zest and juice these beauties. I’m gaining hefty muscle, yo. I reduce their juice into a deeply hued syrup situation. I cannot store enough of it.
My obsession is such, the syrups barely cools. I pour it, sometimes still warm in a glass, followed by ice and top with seltzer. The scent is intoxicating. My obsession is such, I’d like to spend my days zesting and cutting into blood oranges for the sole purpose of making blood orange syrup. My obsession is such, I am about to clean out my fridge and store bottles and bottles of blood orange syrup.
Who needs food? I can live on this, right?
[purerecipe]
Ingredients
For the blood orange syrup
- 5 Blood oranges
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar
For the blood orange soda
- 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons Blood orange syrup
- Ice
- Seltzer water
Instructions
Make the blood orange syrup:
- Juice and zest the blood oranges in a medium saucepan. Some pulp will escape when juicing, and that’s fine. You will strain that situation later. Add the water and sugar and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and allow steeping for about an hour or so and come to room temperature. Strain the mixture into a glass container with a tight fitting, discarding the solids and store into the refrigerator until ready to use.
Make the blood orange soda:
- To a tall glass add the blood orange syrup. Add ice and top with seltzer. Give it a quick stir and enjoy.
