Homemade Soda Recipie

While people today normally associate sodas with the mass-produced cans of mysterious God-only-knows-what that we buy in grocery stores, its history goes back much farther, to the Victorian Era drugstores and soda fountains. Rather than being purchased from large corporations, sodas of that era were mixed from soda syrup and seltzer water. In the attitude of steampunk, I'll post this surprisingly easy recipe for making your own syrup at home.

Flavoring can be achieved using either fresh sources--fruits, herbal tea, and ginger all work quite well--or by using extracts such as vanilla or orange.

1. Fill a saucepan with water. The amount of water you add will amount to about half the volume the finished syrup.

2. (Optional) If using fresh flavoring, put whatever fruit or herb you're using in the water and boil it until the water becomes thoroughly colored from the flavoring.

3. Add in sugar to make the total proportions 1/2 sugar and 1/2 water. Heat this mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.

4. If using an extract flavoring, add a few drops of flavoring.

5. If desired, add a little bit of food coloring to the syrup.

6. Unless you intend to use all of the syrup right away, add a little cream of tartar to keep it from hardening.

7. Mix together about one part syrup to three parts seltzer water. Enjoy.

A large number of flavoring ideas can be found at this site.