Peppermint syrup & sparkling mineral water

[quirkydeb]

I'm looking for good places (i.e. less expensive) to buy peppermint syrup & cases of sparkling mineral water. If the places are near Brookline, that would be great, but I'm willing to drive if necessary. Also, is there much difference between Torani, Monin, and Da Vinci syrups? Thanks!

[StriperGuy]

Any reason not to use plain old supermarket club soda or seltzer? Super cheap at less than $1 per two liter bottle.

[jk1002]

it will loose lots of it's bubbles when you mix it with the syrup. one could always use a syphon and add more if that happens. For volume though I would get a carbonation kit, one can find these cheap on ebay but getting food grade gas is a bit of a run around.

JK

[jk1002]

Peppermint syrup I am making myself. Half Sugar, Half Water and a bunch of peppermint leaves steeped for a few minutes done. This will last few weeks in the fridge. I would say start with 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and throw in the entire bunch. You can always dilute with additional sugar syrup .... I also heard of people doing a more concentrated sugar syrup, taking halve a cup of water per cup of sugar but haven't tried that yet.

For sparkling water, i would I use peapod to avoid the schlepp ......

cheers
JK

[MC Slim JB]

Add an ounce of 100-proof vodka and it will last much longer in the fridge.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[quirkydeb]

I'd love to make it myself! Where do you get the peppermint leaves? All the mint I see at the stores/farmers' market/Russo's is closer to spearmint than peppermint. --I would also love the peppermint leaves to make peppermint ice cream (when I used regular farmers' market mint, it was too spearminty).

Come to think of it, I do have peppermint extract and could just mix it with a simple syrup. I'll see how quickly we go through it to see if we should also add the vodka.

Thanks! --Why didn't I think about making it myself before?

[hotoynoodle]

if you strain out the leaves, mint simple syrup will last about til the end of time. without vodka.

[quirkydeb]

We shouldn't need it for quite that long.

[jk1002]

I think wholefoods has it. If I am not goofing, they have that in little plastic boxes where the herbs are. They bushels they sell are spear mint ....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mentha-piperita.JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Men...

[MC Slim JB]

I don't think this is true if you make your simple syrup without heat, which is how I make mine. I don't like the cooked flavor that even sub-boiling-point heating brings to sugar syrups.

Does peppermint oil somehow retard spoilage?

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[SeaSide Tomato]

If you are drinking that much sprakling mineral water, i highly suggest Sodaclub for you. (google sodaclub or sodastream.com). I have been making my own fizzy-water from filtered water at home for a couple of years and love it. No lugging botles, no watching for sales, no excesss plastic. I simply make water as needed. It's great: convenient and less expensive, too. Plus you can make it as fizzy as you like.

BTW-I have no interest in the organization itself, I'm just a very happy customer!

Good luck!

SeaSide

[quirkydeb]

Thanks for the suggestion. We will take a look at it. With the CO2, does it really come out to be cheaper?

[SeaSide Tomato]

yes it's cheaper. I have 4 gas cannisters at home, I re-order 3 when I've used three and an on the 4th. order on line and leave them on your front stoop. they are picked up and delivered like milk used to be. the reason I keep 4 gas canisters going is twofold: one, at a certain price point, shipping is free--and three gets me there; two, I don't need to reorder so frequently. It is definitely less expensive, cuts down on plastic volume (even recycling is less desirable than not generating more waste in the first place) and there's no lugging bottles. I love it!

[MeffaBabe]

Sometimes Starbucks or other local coffee shops will sell you a bottle or two of syrups. I find them in TJ Maxx all the time and have bought them in Starbucks also... They are also sometimes found in specialty grocery stores.

[rlh]

I happened to notice last week that Russo's has a pretty good selection of syrups (don't know about peppermint) under the lemons and limes on the left hand side of the first aisle as you enter the store - expect that their prices will be as good as or better than anywhere around.

[quirkydeb]

I just got back from my syrup expedition. Russo's had caramel, hazelnut, & vanilla for $7/bottle. I ended up getting my peppermint syrup from Marty's Liquor in Newton for $8/bottle. They also had several other flavors (caramel, apple, hazelnut, vanilla, and another 1 or 2 (can't remember which ones). Those flavors were $10/bottle. The peppermint syrup had a yellow sticker over another sticker, so hopefully they're not discounting them because they are a) discontinuing the flavor, or b) about to expire.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

[pamalamb]

Try Home Goods or TJ Maxx for the syrups. When they have them, they usually have a large selection.

[quirkydeb]

Any particular Home Goods or TJ Maxx? I tried the TJ Maxx on Harvard St. in Brookline & it had 1 bottle (Da Vinci caramel).

[pamalamb]

I recall the TJ Maxx in Alewife having a lot, but I haven't been in there for a while.

[monika777]

I don't know if you can get peppermint syrup there, but Polish delis near Andrew Square in South Boston (Baltic European Deli, EuroMart, etc) carry fruit based syrups. You could check there.

[hotoynoodle]

i'll suggest trader joe's for the sparkling water, but can't help you with the syrups.

[quirkydeb]

Thanks! I have been getting cases from Trader Joe's. I wondered if any place gives a discount for buying by the case as Trader Joe's doesn't. On the other hand, Trader Joe's full price may still be cheaper than if someplace else gave a ~10% discount.

I found another CH post about flavored syrups that suggested Marty's Liquors in Newton & Formaggio Kitchen, but suspect they're on the pricey side.

[hotoynoodle]

you can order monin off their website, but need to order by the case.