Welcome Spring and to things new…
Spring in Australia has arrived! It’s the perfect time of year to make the most of the pleasant temperatures before the heat of Summer. Flowers are blooming, evergreen trees are bursting with new growth and the bee’s and butterflies are busy pollinating our fruit crops. It’s all about new beginnings, and here at Gin Gin & Dry Gourmet Foods we have something new for you.
Introducing our 100% Natural Dried Mandarin
We are fortunate in Australia to have a thriving citrus industry and here at Gin Gin & Dry we have made the most of this beautiful produce. Our citrus range of dried orange, blood orange, grapefruit, lemons, limes and citrus powders have been growing rapidly. These have been very popular with the growing Australian Gin Industry as beverage toppers. Also for use in infused drinks, tea blends, fruit compotes and baking.
We are now excited to announce that we have added 100% Natural Australian Dried Mandarin Slices to our citrus range.
Australia’s mandarin season runs from April to October. Mandarins are mainly grown in Queensland. Queensland has reported a booming citrus season across the state with some crops up 30% this year. This has provided us with the perfect opportunity to create a premium product from the excess fruit and market rejected stock.
Citrus Australia’s research on this season has revealed that the dry conditions leading into this season’s harvest has led to sweeter, juicier fruit. So now is an ideal time to add mandarin to our citrus offerings. (https://citrusaustralia.com.au/buying-australian/)
Our Dried Mandarin is 100% Natural, 100% locally sourced in Queensland, has no preservatives, no added sugar and no nasty additives or colorings. Its perfect for drink toppers in cocktails, infused drinks or delicious as a snack on its own. It’s less tart than dried orange and has a nice crispy texture with a natural sweetness. It’s bright vibrant colour and refreshing citrus kick will certainly make it a popular addition to our citrus range.
We are sure you will enjoy using our Dried Mandarin to add a citrusy element to a wide range of recipes and dishes. To celebrate its addition to our products, check below for our Gin Gin & Dry – Mandarin Ginger Sour.
Gin Gin & Dry – Mandarin Ginger Sour
This bold and citrusy cocktail with spicy ginger syrup is perfect liquid sunshine to enjoy on a spring afternoon. You can buy ginger syrup from most grocery stores or it’s very easy to make yourself own at home, see below for how. Sour cocktails are traditionally made with egg white or a vegan option of aquafaba (the liquid you’d usually drain from a can of chickpeas) but this is a personal preference. The foam that forms on top looks great decorated with a few drops of bitters.
Ingredients
- 60ml of a good quality Dry Gin
- Juice of 2 fresh squeezed mandarin juice (Approx. 40ml)
- 1 ½ tbps of Ginger syrup
- egg white or aquafaba if using
- Gin Gin & Dry 100% Australian Dried Mandarin Slices
Method
1. First juice the mandarins.
2. Measure all ingredients and add to a cocktail shaker. If using egg white or aquafaba, dry-shake for 30 seconds without ice.
3. Add ice to the shaker, about ¾.
4. Shake until well chilled.
5. Then strain the liquid into glass of your choice. (Quantities here will do one tall glass or two small glasses)
6. Garnish with Gin Gin & Dry 100% Australian Dried Mandarin slices. Optional layer of whisked peaks of egg white or aquafaba.
*Note: EGG WARNING – consuming raw egg poses risk of food-borne illness. Please use pasteurized egg.
How to make your own ginger syrup:
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated (around 50g) of sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup sliced fresh ginger root, peeled
Method
1. In a saucepan combine the sugar and water over medium heat.
2. Stir the mixture until all the sugar is dissolved.
3. Add the sliced fresh ginger root and heat slowly, bringing the mixture to a boil.
4. Cover and reduce the heat, allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Keep covered with the pan lid and let the mixture steep for about 1 hour. This helps the ginger to continue to infuse.
6. Strain the mixture to remove the ginger slices. You can then seal in a bottle or jar ready for use.
