Shirley Temple never had it so good
Ever since I read about “real” grenadine on the Slashfood, I’ve been itching to try it. Lo and behold, I found a bottle in the endcap at my local grocery store.
Even though I am morally opposed to impulse buying, I snagged a bottle. At $6 for 12 ounces, it costs about twice as much as Rose’s “fakey” grenadine. A taste test revealed almost no resemblance between the dueling grenadines. But I think both have something to offer.
Rose’s grenadine has a stronger candy flavor, and just screams “Roy Rodgers!”. But that certainly has its place. The Stirrings grenadine tasted sharper, with a definite tinge of pomegranate pith. It’s also much less viscous than Rose’s, even though Stirrings includes pectin as a thickener. Although I haven’t tried it, I’d bet money (or yarn) that the “real” grenadine won’t layer as well as the fake stuff, and a bead of grenadine at the bottom of a martini glass is a great visual element. So my verdict is that there is a place for both grenadines in your bar, although “real” grenadine has to be refrigerated after opening, so I’m planning to use it up quickly.
Grenadine is an integral component of the El Floridita cocktail, which is kind of odd tasting, but a fun departure from the usual Manhattans and cosmopolitans. And you gotta love a drink with a cherry in it.
Next step - homemade grenadine. I’m betting this will turn out to be even better (and cheaper) than my impulse purchase.