Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga
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Nothing is more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold, frosty mug of root beer. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've got yourself one of America's favorite soda-fountain treats.
The basics: Root beer as we know it has been around since the mid-1800s, created by Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires. An early form of root beer had been around before that, but not well-liked or known. It was a very low-alcohol beverage prescribed as a pseudo-medicinal drink with a somewhat bittersweet flavor.
Hires came across an herbal tea that intrigued him and experimented with creating his own elixir out of a variety of herbs and roots. He first sold it as a dry mixture, then developed a liquid concentrate that included about 25 herbs, berries and roots. It became so popular that Hires introduced a commercially bottled product in 1893 -- and the rest is history.
It's not clear when carbonation was added, but it helped seal root beer's popularity. Today, countless brands of root beer exist, from commercial brands to specialty microbrews. Although each brand has its own concoction of roots and herbs, root beer generally consists of sassafras, sarsaparilla, burdock and ginger root, plus wild cherry and birch bark, wintergreen, juniper berries, licorice and molasses.
Root beer concentrate is also available. Just a teaspoon or two is enough to add distinctive root beer flavor to a number of recipes, in the manner of extracts such as vanilla.
Selecting: Many brands of root beer are available in cans and bottles. Specialty microbrews are a must to taste. These brands pride themselves on originality and have very distinct flavors.
Use: Root beer is best when consumed frosty cold. To make your own root beer from concentrate, first make a syrup by dissoving 3/4 cup sugar in 1-1/2 cups boiling water. Stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons root beer concentrate. Combine with club soda or seltzer and serve over ice.
Root beer can also be used in cakes, cookies and other baked goods and a number of cocktail drinks. Or try stirring root beer into barbecue marinades or sauces for a unique flavor.
Where to buy: Root beer is available wherever soft drinks are sold. Look for unique, private label brands at specialty food stores or on the Internet. Prices vary greatly depending on brand and quantity.
Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com
