my husband got a bottle of jack rudy's tonic which is made in charleston, SC. it was so delicious, i decided to try to make a batch. it is a simple one, mostly citrus tones and hint of rosemary. it makes a nice drink to sip on through the winter months.
ingredients
3 cups water
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cinchona bark, i purchased here 1 1/2 Tbsp citric acid
6- 2 inch pieces of lemon grass
zest of 1 orange
1 sprig of rosemary
directions
-in a medium sized pan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently
-add the cinchona bark, citric acid, lemon grass, and orange zest
-turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes
-remove from heat and add the sprig of rosemary
-let sit for 5 minutes
-using a drip coffee cone and filter begin to filter your tonic. this takes forever because the bark is very fine. be patient and change filters often.
-when the tonic filtering is complete, place in fridge for a couple of hours before using
-keep in fridge and use within 1 month
making a drink
2 oz gin
1 oz tonic
4 oz bubble water
ice
a twist of lime
photos and recipe by kristen bach