In the season of all things sweet, it's hard to resist all of the many treats popping up around town. Our annual cooking baking marathon ensures our kitchen and the arms of every friend or family member that crosses our path, is quickly inhabited by tins of sweets. Last year we made our 4 traditional cookies, along with with some old-school anise biscotti with my grandma, and a box of cookies from the bakery. And with just a quick scroll through social media, my mind is flooded with inspiration. But that is still to come.

As a sneak peek at my plans for 2020, I'm sharing the first in a new branch of recipes, a series I'm calling "pantry". Pantry is a timeless notion of cooking and food prep, encompassing everything from pasta sauce and veggie stock to pickles and jam - those homemade household staples we often overlook in favor of store-bought alternatives. They can be the savior of a half-empty fridge and an uninspired evening. Once the farmers' markets begin to flourish in spring, I assure you we'll be seeing lots of preserves in our kitchen. For now, I'll let winter be winter and share a soothing sweetener for sore throats and cozy evenings alike.

In my post-Thanksgiving recipe planning, I found that the ripening Meyer lemons on our trees needed a small spotlight of their own. Their vibrant peels give the syrup a beautiful golden luminance and that coveted sweetness that only comes from Meyers, as the heat of ginger mellows into the syrup.

With the changing weather, December brings a reminder of my half-yearly cold. A mild cold creeps up twice each year, in July and December like clockwork. It hasn't hit me quite yet, and maybe I'll get lucky and sidestep it's wrath this year. Nonetheless, cups of tea and rainy mornings meld peacefully this month.

Some of my favorite variations of flavored simple syrup:

• Mulling spices - anise, clove, cinnamon (good for hot chocolate!)

• Fresh herbs - rosemary, mint (for a refreshing lemonade or iced tea)

• Citrus - lemon, lime, oranges (my favorite in camomile and herbal tea)

• Vanilla - steeped with vanilla bean (delicious in coffee or black tea)

You can also play around with the type of sugar! Standard granulated sugar creates a clear syrup, with a milder flavor. For this Lemon Ginger Simple Syrup I used a light golden sugar, meant to emulate the rich, deep flavor of honey.

I’ve been enjoying the long winter evenings, often inhabited by calm moments in the kitchen or cozying up on the couch with my kitties. A cup of sleepytime camomile tea with a bit of ginger and lemon. It’s that time of year, once again.

Lemon Ginger Simple Syrup

ingredients

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup granulated sugar (white for a clear syrup, gold or brown for a dark, rich syrup)

• 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into thin discs

• peel of 1-2 lemons

method

1. In a small pot, bring the water to a simmer or gentle boil. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then add the ginger and lemon peel. Turn off heat and cover, letting the peel and ginger steep until desired strength, 30-45 minutes. Store in a sealed jar or bottle, and remove ginger and lemon peel if desired.

   Enjoy as a soothing sweetener in tea!