YIELD: Makes 32 oz.

INGREDIENTS

32 oz. – Ginger in pure honey

1/2 cup – water

2 – star anise

1 tsp. – fennel seeds

1 tsp. – black peppercorns

1 tsp. – coriander seeds

1 tsp. – whole cloves

1 – cinnamon stick

1 tsp. – cardamom pods

1 – whole vanilla bean

4 slices – fresh ginger, peeled

from 1 orange – orange peel, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Gather all the spices and ginger in a piece of cheesecloth and tie off with cotton twine.

Pour the honey into a heavy saucepan and submerge the spice packet in the honey, add the orange peel. Simmer on low for 30 minutes, swirling occasionally. The syrup will reduce a bit.

Remove the honey from heat and let it steep for 2 hours.

Remove the spice packet, squeezing the excess honey from the cheesecloth and pour the honey into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid along with the orange peel.

Store in a cool dark place.

TIP

This honey syrup is wonderful in tea or coffee, but also on waffles, toast or drizzled on fruit salad with a bit of lime. You can retrieve that star anise and the cinnamon stick from the spice packet and add to the honey jar for a pretty presentation.