Orange Squash Base

I heard about squash drinks recently.  They're a thing in Britain and its former Empire.  There are dozens of flavors, some quite exotic.

So what is squash?  It's a thickened fruit cordial, much like grenadine, but it's intended to be mixed as a non-alcoholic drink.  I had most of a 2-liter bottle of seltzer water after the tempura and decided to make some with the fruit off my grafted citrus tree.  You mix a couple of tablespoons of the syrup into a glass of still or sparkling water for something lighter than a commercial soda.

All squash recipes start out the same way.  You make a sugar and water syrup and add at least some lemon juice.  Then you add whatever fruit juice you want it to taste like and cook it back down to a syrup.  It's a lot like making a failed fruit jelly, without the pectin.

If you own a juicer, the flavor possibilities are endless.  I have a basic citrus reamer with holes to catch the seeds and pulp, so we're going with Squash 101.

1 C sugar
1 C water
1/2 C fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 C fresh-squeezed orange juice
zest of one orange

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium-high until they start to boil and all the sugar is dissolved.

2.  Add in lemon juice, orange juice, and orange zest.  Return to a boil and cook until reduced to about 2 cups.  The color will turn to an amber and the syrup will be a little sticky.  Do not boil down until it appears as a thick syrup, because it's going to thicken even more as it cools.

3.  If desired, strain out the orange zest.  I left it in as proof it's homemade.  Pour into a bottle or other sealable container and refrigerate until needed.  Boiled syrups generally last about a month in the fridge.

4.  To use, combine 2 Tb syrup (one ounce) with 8 to 12 ounces of water or unflavored seltzer or tonic water, depending how sweet you like your drinks.  Stir to combine and enjoy.

Makes 1 pint, about 16 servings

Difficulty rating  π