658799 Mon Oct 12 07:07:15 -0700 2009 22 12 Boston Area 0 5096625 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! Mon Oct 12 07:07:15 -0700 2009 276429 quirkydeb 1 5096654 i'll suggest trader joe's for the sparkling water, but can't help you with the syrups. Mon Oct 12 07:23:43 -0700 2009 5096625 30273 hotoynoodle 2 5098100 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. Mon Oct 12 16:29:08 -0700 2009 5096654 276429 quirkydeb 3 5099132 you can order monin off their website, but need to order by the case. Tue Oct 13 06:43:46 -0700 2009 5098100 30273 hotoynoodle 1 5098372 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. Mon Oct 12 18:25:28 -0700 2009 5096625 64557 monika777 1 5099029 Try Home Goods or TJ Maxx for the syrups. When they have them, they usually have a large selection. Tue Oct 13 05:54:25 -0700 2009 5096625 13574 pamalamb 2 5099635 Any particular Home Goods or TJ Maxx? I tried the TJ Maxx on Harvard St. in Brookline & it had 1 bottle (Da Vinci caramel). Tue Oct 13 09:32:22 -0700 2009 5099029 276429 quirkydeb 3 5113997 I recall the TJ Maxx in Alewife having a lot, but I haven't been in there for a while. Mon Oct 19 07:37:42 -0700 2009 5099635 13574 pamalamb 1 5099941 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. Tue Oct 13 11:02:24 -0700 2009 5096625 10399 rlh 2 5100558 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. Tue Oct 13 14:05:47 -0700 2009 5099941 276429 quirkydeb 1 5117833 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. Tue Oct 20 12:57:13 -0700 2009 5096625 12606 MeffaBabe 1 5118932 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 Tue Oct 20 21:19:14 -0700 2009 5096625 18253 SeaSide Tomato 2 5122354 Thanks for the suggestion. We will take a look at it. With the CO2, does it really come out to be cheaper? Thu Oct 22 07:19:25 -0700 2009 5118932 276429 quirkydeb 3 5125133 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! Fri Oct 23 08:44:05 -0700 2009 5122354 18253 SeaSide Tomato 1 5119811 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 Wed Oct 21 09:33:13 -0700 2009 5096625 215714 jk1002 2 5119960 Add an ounce of 100-proof vodka and it will last much longer in the fridge. http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Wed Oct 21 10:23:34 -0700 2009 5119811 10143 MC Slim JB 2 5122349 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? Thu Oct 22 07:17:36 -0700 2009 5119811 276429 quirkydeb 3 5122379 if you strain out the leaves, mint simple syrup will last about til the end of time. without vodka. Thu Oct 22 07:28:05 -0700 2009 5122349 30273 hotoynoodle 4 5122439 We shouldn't need it for quite that long. Thu Oct 22 07:47:24 -0700 2009 5122379 276429 quirkydeb 5 5122450 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:Mentha_spicata_02.jpg Thu Oct 22 07:51:18 -0700 2009 5122439 215714 jk1002 4 5122784 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/ Thu Oct 22 10:36:15 -0700 2009 5122379 10143 MC Slim JB 1 5122474 Any reason not to use plain old supermarket club soda or seltzer? Super cheap at less than $1 per two liter bottle. Thu Oct 22 07:57:07 -0700 2009 5096625 10169 StriperGuy 2 5122575 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 Thu Oct 22 09:02:33 -0700 2009 5122474 215714 jk1002