Homemade Cola

I rarely drink colas and we rarely have them in the house, although once in a while I just have to have a bottle of ice cold Coke® whenever I'm eating Philippine noodles pancit guisado. I don't know why but for me pancit doesn't taste the same without it.

I can't recall what I was reading or doing when I came across homemade recipes for soft drinks. I have all the ingredients and was curious how it will taste. And indeed the syrup with added Perrier tastes almost like CocaCola® without the caffeine. You can certainly add it but why?

The ingredient that makes dark cola is caramel. I have a small bottle that I use both for both meat dishes and desserts. I highly recommend the ones from Korea sold in most Asian grocery stores. It is made with just molasses and water. The Bouquet brand, if I remember correctly, tastes a bit salty.

Homemade Cola

2 cups water

zest of 2 oranges

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lime

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

a section of star anise

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

a 1½-inch piece of vanilla bean, split

1½ to 2 cups cups raw sugar or Sucanat

1 teaspoon caramel color

Perrier or other natural sparkling mineral water

• Combine 2 cups water and next 8 ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 40 minutes. 
• Place sugar and caramel color in a measuring bowl with handle. Strain the liquid into the sugar mixture. Remove vanilla bean and reserve for another use; discard the rest. 
• Stir syrup until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer into a bottle and chill in refrigerator. 
• To make cola: Put ice cubes in a tall tumbler, add 1/3 cup prepared syrup, top with Perrier. Stir gently and enjoy!