Doesn't exactly flow off the tongue. I'm debating how best to do this simple syrup, and I'm settling on the following path:
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup golden pineapple sage
1/4 cup mint
dissolve sugar into water, remove from heat. drop in herb, mash to release oils, let steep overnight, strain into a mason jar.
I've decided against the 2:1 ratio as I seem to do well with the 1:1. Also, I'm gambling that it will allow the sage to come through better. Also, I'm not boiling the sage, as I doubt the heat will do the herb much good. Rather, I am going for steeping length of time and some simple mashing to release more oils. I was reluctant to add mint to this, as it tends to overpower, but the pineapple sage has not yet given me the yields I need, so for right now it will have to the two.
I have three concerns. First, this is my first turbinado sugar. The dark brown color and rich taste of the syrup threatens to overwhelm my herb component. Second, I was light on the herbs. I would prefer a full cup of sage. That will come. Third, I added the herbs when the mixture was still quite hot. Of course the leaves wilted. But the real question is whether the heat will damage them. Am tempted to try this again with little heat and little dissolve.
I think this will be a good rum and/or bourbon syrup. I'm tempted to try a manhattan variation using a little of this syrup, some Fee Brothers bitters, and lilet. Just a touch!
UPDATE:
Tried this variant on August 1, 2011:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup mint
1/2 cup golden pineapple sage
boiled down the sugar, added the herbs and let them cool in the fridge for eight hours before pressing them through a sieve.
The syrup was quite good, although the woodiness of the golden pineapple sage comes through strongly. The result was interesting. This syrup works nicely with whiskey in an old fashioned, where the woodiness contrasts with the oak in a rye and gives it just a hint of herbal freshness. In a mojito, however, the woodiness overpowers the rum.
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