Tamarindo (Non-Alcoholic)

Tamarind syrup adds a nice thickness that matches the tartness of grapefruit juice in the only non-alcoholic tamarind syrup drink in the New York Bartender's Guide. I appreciate the benefits of the thick and citric acid zip of the tamarind pod when its make into a syrup. For alcoholic drinks, use it in an Old Fashioned instead of sugar (especially with a Rum Old Fashioned) and in Tiki cocktails that involve grapefruit or lots of lime.

For the Tamarindo, though you only need three ingredients. To make this syrup, follow this recipe. To make the drink, follow this one.

• 2 oz. tamarind syrup (1 1/2 oz. if using ruby red grapefruit juice)
• 1 oz. grenadine (1/2 oz. if using ruby red grapefruit juice)
• grapefruit juice

Combine syrup and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a chilled Collins glass. Top with grapefruit juice and stir. (These overly complicated steps can be omitted, however. Build the drink in a Collins glass with ice and stir. Then you won't have syrup sticking to the insides of a shaker that needs cleaning.)