Filipino Calamansi and Lemongrass Highball with Fresh Ginger and Soda

Bruise 4 lemongrass stalks firmly along their length with the back of a knife, then cut into 2-inch pieces.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed
• 2-inch (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) fresh calamansi juice, or 1/2 cup lime juice plus 2 tablespoons mandarin juice
• 6 oz (180 ml) white rum, or gin
• 3 cups (720 ml) chilled club soda
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Plenty of ice, for serving
• 4 lemongrass stalks and thin citrus wheels, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bruise 4 lemongrass stalks firmly along their length with the back of a knife, then cut into 2-inch pieces.
2. Combine the cut lemongrass, ginger, sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Simmer 3 minutes, then take off the heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes. Longer than that and the ginger starts to dominate the lemongrass.
4. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids, and chill until cold. It keeps two weeks refrigerated.
5. Stir the calamansi juice into the cold syrup, then taste: it should be assertively sour, since the soda will dilute it considerably.
6. Fill four tall glasses to the top with ice — a full glass of ice melts more slowly than a half-full one and keeps the drink from going watery.
7. Divide the citrus-lemongrass base among the glasses, then add 1 1/2 oz rum to each.
8. Top with chilled club soda and stir once, gently, from the bottom up.
9. Garnish each with a bruised lemongrass stalk as a stirrer and a citrus wheel. Serve immediately.
10. Calamansi is the small round citrus that flavors half of Filipino cooking, sharper than a lime and rounder than a lemon, and it stands up to soda far better than either. Pairing it with lemongrass and ginger borrows from the aromatics of a salabat ginger tea, and the result is a highball built for heat and humidity: long, sour, barely sweet, and endlessly drinkable. Leave out the rum and it becomes a perfectly good afternoon cooler for anyone skipping the alcohol.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 230 kcal
• Protein: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 60mg