Tummy Tamer Soda Syrup; Orange, Mint, Ginger and Anise
For all I love to eat and travel, my stomach does not. I wish I could boast of an iron clad gut as many travelers do, but alas I’m easily afflicted with tummy trouble. It doesn’t really matter how careful I am or how much or how little I eat on the street, any change in my usual diet can result in distress, even at home. This can be the result of over-indulgence of rich foods in places like Rome or Paris, or over-indulgence in spicy foods in South East Asia or my local Thai restaurant.
My travels have led me to try many a local remedy. In Morocco, a carpet salesman sold me a small vial of orange oil which he told me was medicinal. He said I should put a few drops in some water or open it and smell it if I was ever feeling sick and later, it kept me from feeling seasick on the ferry boat back to Spain. In Bali, I got a bad case of Bali-Belly and was given ginger tea to settle my stomach. It worked like a charm. In Italy, we drink Amaro, an herbal liquor similar to bitters (think Fernet Branca, or even Jaegarmeister) as an after-dinner digestive aid. In India people chew anise and fennel seeds to sweeten the breath and settle the stomach after a spicy meal. Here at home, mint tea has always been my go-to drink of choice when my stomach is upset.
I’d been thinking about making a new syrup to use with my SodaStream Soda Maker for a while. After a month of eating and drinking to excess, I thought this combination of flavors might just do the trick and be the perfect drink to help settle the stomach after all that holiday overindulgence.
By the way, if you’re not familiar with the SodaStream Home Soda Makers
, do check them out. I’ve had mine for over a year and a half and I love it. It’s an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to make your own carbonated water.
Tummy Tamer Soda Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 each orange peel removed and then juiced
- 1 oz fresh mint rough chopped
- 2 oz fresh ginger sliced 1/8" thick
- 2 Tbsp toasted anise seed
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
- In a small saute pan toast the anise seed for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Cut the skin off an orange with a sharp paring knife and then carefully cut off as much of the white pith from the skin as possible. Cut the same orange in half and squeeze the juice out of it.
- Slice the ginger into 1/8 " pieces and rough chop the mint.
- Combine sugar and water in a small heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a low simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Add in the orange peel, orange juice, mint, ginger pieces and toasted anise seed. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let syrup steep as it cools.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer and store in a clean container in the refrigerator.
- For the soda I usually combine about 2 Tbsp of the syrup with 12 oz soda water, but you can adjust to your personal taste.
Check out my other Syrup Recipes:
Gingerale Syrup
Key Lime Syrup
25 Comments
Ayngelina
Looks delicious, I love fresh mint.
Kathy
I can hardly wait to try this with my Soda Stream! Thank you!!!
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Teresa
I neeeeed this. Love my SS too. We are getting prepared to do the dreaded (no, its a good thing) ‘Cleanse’ again. Was aided by you last July when we ventured forth with it. I loved your Mushroom Asparagus Risotto, which was perfect for the Cleanse diet, and great for any diet, for that matter. Thank-you~
formerchef
Teresa-
I’m doing the cleanse diet again myself right now. I’m glad you liked the risotto, so do i! In fact, I’m going to make it again this week. I’ll also be posting some new vegan recipes soon.
Charles G Thompson
Great post, perfect timing. I’d say I’m a sufferer as well but that doesn’t stop me from eating all the exotic food I want — both at home and while traveling. Nice recap of the various remedies out there. Oddly, Americans don’t seem to have too many food or drink related remedies usually going for the Pepto-Bismal, right? I usually prefer one of those you mentioned, so thanks for the recipe, another new option.
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
Looks so good – even when you are not afflicted with tummy aches!
Kent @ NVR
This sounds great. I love the combination of flavors. Please report back on how it works for you.
Myra
I always make ginger tea to settle my stomach. I’d like to make this, but I don’t have a SodaStream. Can I combine the syrup to carbonated water bought from the store?
formerchef
Of course! That would work just fine!
Jennifer
How long will this last in the refrigerator?
formerchef
It should be good for at least a few weeks.
justin
I think your sodastream syrups look and sound great! We just got ours yesterday and I can’t wait to give these recipes a try. May I make a request? I would like to see a good cola recipe with a good round earthy flavor that many of the micro soda companies do.
Jon
Just got my SS and couldnt wait to fire up a gin and tonic– i was bummed when my wife says “this doesnt taste right” …i was really bummed to see the splenda on the label…any recipes/ideas for somthing similar to tonic that is natural?
Ps i will be shopping for ingredients for tummy tamer tommorow,
Thanks former Chef!
formerchef
No, I’ve never made tonic (I don’t like the taste). Unfortunately, I don’t know how it’s made either but I do have a number of other syrups here on the blog (ginger, lime, cranberry-vanilla). Your wife is right btw, I love SS, but their syrups are horrible (because of the artificial sweeteners).
Whanz
I want to try this deliciously homemade syrup. I usually love to make like this at home, It has a natural formula of ginger. This is what I wanted. I like it with a cooling fresh of oranges. please post more.
Eden
I feel like I’ve just been soda pranked! This is not at all what I was expecting from the lovely recipe and I followed it to the letter. I’m going to give the gingerale a try, but this one makes my stomach more upset than not. Maybe not having anise seed in it would have made the whole thing more enjoyable. But I really do appreciate you sharing your recipes!
formerchef
Eden- Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. Yes, some people don’t like anise (especially if you’re not a licorice fan).
Eden
Oh I love Licorice! Turns out the husband loves it, since he was who I was making it for, I’ll call that a win! Thanks again for sharing your expertise!
Aly
Tonic water is quinine and water, basically, but you can find recipies online. I know the commercial tonic we buy is still just quinine and water, but I understand not all brands, possibly even most brands, contain more than that now.
Teresa
I am so excited to find your website. It’s beautifully written and the photographs are lovely! I have a Sodastream as well, and I’m excited to try your syrups.
I have a question, however. I despise anise and anything that tastes like it. If I omit this in your syrup recipes, is there something I should substitute? Or will omitting it merely change the flavor with no adverse affect?
Thank you so much!
formerchef
If you don’t like anise, leave it out. The syrup doesn’t really taste like anise because it’s such a mix of flavors, but if you’re that passionate, just leave it out. 🙂
NN
Sounds great. But be aware that in certain cases orange peels may be dyed and sometimes with things as nasty as Citrus Red #2 which is listed as a potential human carcinogen. This is allowed on the presumption that no one is going to eat the peel. It annoys me to no end. So look into the oranges used before doing this.
Jason
Can I sub anise star for the anise seeds? I know they are technically different but might be similar enough. I bought some anise star for your ginger ale syrup recipe.
formerchef
Well, it will taste different and the tummy taming effects of the anise seed will be missing.