Keep it simple, stupid
Posted by Chewy on Wednesday, June 13th, 2007
My problem with Starbucks is that they do not have simple syrup out on their little fixin’s bar. I see people order ice coffees and put white or raw sugar in it. I cringe at the thought of getting a mouthful of grainy, sweet sugar while trying to chillax and enjoy a refreshing iced coffee on a hot day. Especially since you just paid $4 for it. You have to ask for their “classic flavored” syrup when ordering, I’m pretty sure they charge you for it, and you don’t even get to control the amount they put in. Big mistake, Starbucks. You’ve made The List.
The place around the corner from me, The Coffee Den, is where I get my iced coffees from. They are kinda expensive ($3 for a large) and the coffee isn’t the best. However, they have simple syrup out which I greatly appreciate.
Simple syrup is so named because it’s really effing simple. Sugar + water + heat = deliciousness. You can make it during a commercial break of Hell’s Kitchen and it’s extremely hard to eff up. And because of this newfangled thing called “science”, the syrup is actually about 20% sweeter than the OG sugar.
Take equal parts sugar and water and heat in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. You can add more sugar if you want it thicker. Store at room temperature or in the fridge for several months. (I use raw sugar, which I just found out isn’t actually better for you.)
Make flavored simple syrup by throwing in a cinnamon stick, a vanilla pod, some lemongrass or a few citrus rinds. Put it in iced beverages, adult beverages, over fruit or whatever else Google tells you you can do with it.
R. Kelly is currently working on a song about sex and simple syrup.
Categories: 
Discussion: 
Yes, I completely agree - simple syrup is a must for sweetening cold drinks. That’s why I only get iced lattes laced with vanilla.
Comment written by foodette on 12:39 am on the 13th of June, 2007
Also, I just followed your link regarding sugar. I just wanted to let you know they are talking about brown sugar, not raw sugar. Brown sugar is what you use when you make chocolate chip cookies, and it has molasses, which makes it sweeter and pack together. Raw sugar is unrefined white sugar, and it is better for you. Raw sugar is basically dried sugar cane juice, and it is brown due to its natural presence of molasses. White sugar is this product, bleached with sulphur dioxide and mixed with phosporic acid and calcium hydroxide. You are better off with the raw variety. However, I still stick with the bad stuff for baking, because I don’t want to mess up my famous chocolate chip cookies!!
Comment written by foodette on 12:47 am on the 13th of June, 2007
* When I say brown sugar has molasses - I mean molasses is added to it by food processors. Sorry, it was confusing when I re-read it.
Comment written by foodette on 12:48 am on the 13th of June, 2007
Starbucks makes my shit list because they serve Earl Grey tea, but offer no lemon. I really love black tea with lemon. Grrr. Where can a girl get good tea in the city?
Comment written by Caley on 8:30 am on the 13th of June, 2007
I am beginning to notice simple syrup appearing in more and more coffee houses but no, not Starfucks. However, I boycotted them long ago because of their insistence on renaming things that do not need to be renamed such as small, medium, large, cafe au late, etc.
Question: what do you think Starfucks would rename simple syrup to?
Comment written by la duchessa on 9:06 am on the 13th of June, 2007
That should say “lait” not “late”.
Comment written by la duchessa on 9:07 am on the 13th of June, 2007
Foodette: Thanks for the science info! What can you tell me about succant? I’ve been putting it in my hot beverages thinking it’s better for me than processed white sugar or those fake sugar alternatives.
D: Have you seen how much extra they charge for soy milk?! Highway robbery, I say, toots.
Caley: You should check out Tea & Sympathy. I don’t like their fascist rules and the only time I was there, my tea seeped for too long and was bitter. Hm, maybe this isn’t much of a recommendation. They are British owned, though. And you can get some authentic fish and chips next door at their sister A Salt & Battery (they competed against Bobby Flay in “Throwdown”). Also, I’ve heard amazing things about Alice’s Tea Cup.
Comment written by Chewy on 9:23 am on the 13th of June, 2007
I’ve only recently read about simple syrup for adult beverages, which interest me way more than coffee. Now reading about your flavored versions, I’m really going to have to give this a try.
Comment written by Terry B on 9:42 am on the 13th of June, 2007
Sorry Foodies…i’m breaking the convo to talk Hell’s Kitchen. Chew, can you BELIEVE that Aaron freak hasn’t been booted yet? Gordon Ramsy truly does have a heart of gold… I also confessed to Joe that I’d sleep with Ramsy. He was understandably disturbed.
Comment written by Danielle on 10:28 am on the 13th of June, 2007
Chewy, I had never heard of sucanat, aka succant before, so I did a search on it. Wikipedia says that it’s the dried juice of sugar cane, and therefore has the natural molasses in it - seems like it could just be a name for raw sugar then? I also found a website that calls it “powdered cane juice in pellet form” - is this true? So then, maybe the difference is the form - raw sugar is crystaline, succant is powdered? Let me know
Comment written by foodette on 12:07 pm on the 13th of June, 2007
Terry: Have you had fresh cucumber in beverages? It’s amazingly crisp, cool and refreshing. Even just cucumber slices in water is great. The bar down the street from me does cucumber margaritas!
Red: I missed most of this week’s episode, but I caught who got kicked off and I’m all frowny face about it.
Foodette: The texture of succant is indeed different from raw sugar. It’s not quite powder, but it is smaller, more round and more opaque. You can get it in bulk from Whole Foods for less than $2 a pound.
Comment written by Chewy on 11:02 pm on the 13th of June, 2007