When the weather heats up, I tend to reach for freshly made cocktails more than any other drink. However, I find that alcohol compounds the laziness that summer provokes in me, and sometimes I want a non-alcoholic treat.
My childhood favorite of the simple Shirley Temple came to mind: the ginger ale and grenadine mixture has a delightfully easy-to-drink sweetness. Finding an artisanal soda worthy of an adult version wasn't too difficult (I'll be begging my New Hampshire friends to send me some of this), but the grenadine proved near impossible. I have no desire now for artificially sweetened drinks, so I decided to explore homemade grenadine. The process is surprisingly simple, if a bit messy. The resulting syrup can be used to enliven sodas and tonics, as well as boozy cocktails when you're in the mood.
Grenadine Syrup 
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