Grenadine and Pomegranate Syrup

It's found in a glass bottle sitting on bars all over america the rich red concoction is sitting waiting to be pulled, poured, mixed and served into dozens of drinks. Even many bartenders aren't quiet sure what makes up Grenadine. If it was an ideal world it'd be a red currant and pomegranate syrup, with water, sugar and the two fruits being the only ingredients. Sadly this isn't an ideal world and companies get away with subbing out the pomegranates and the currants for the much cheaper and cost effective chemical compounds that can recreate the fruits slightly bitter mostly sweet flavor. But if you want to put a boost in your drinks all it takes is a simple trip to your local middle eastern market. Pomegranate syrup a thick molass like syrup so dark its almost black with a few simple tricks you can make your own Grenadine that will add a flare to your favorite red tinted cocktail of choice.

Grenadine Syrup:

1/2 cup  Pomegranate Syrup
1 cup     Current Juice
2 TBSP Sugar
Water

Pour the three ingredients into a small sauce pot and bring to a slow simmer, thin with water until the syrup flows freely and easily from a spoon but leaves a thin coating behind (for reference we call this Nape in the culinary world). Substitute your homemade syrup in a drink recipe in even parts.

It's all greek to me!

The humble Gyro... it's pronunciation is as varied as the fillings put into it, most of them... are wrong. In theory a simple street food that is one of the most popular thing to have come out of Greece since the invention of democracy. There are only a few restaurants in St. Louis that I will order gyros from, why you ask? The answer falls to the filling... frozen blocks of land critter should NOT be in the filling of my sandwich, it's insulting to me, humiliating when I drop the sandwich in disgust to the serve, and damaging to the buisness when I never come back again.

This isn't a burger (Still  mighty sin but slightly lower on the list of unforgivable acts) it's a gyro, all it has, all it should ever have is six things: Pita, Tzatiki, Red Onion, Lettuce (NOT ICEBURG), Feta and most importantly the meat.  First things first, I refuse to call it a Gyro if any kind of poultry has touched it, I don't care if you're on a health kick and wanting to watch what you eat throwing cut up bits of chicken onto a pita a gyro does not make. Gyro meat should always be made on site, layers of Beef and lamb with an herb mixed stacked onto that wonderful spinning rod that magically fuses said layers into a single block of deliciousness. Likewise, any owner who uses  premade tzatkiki should by law be executed on grounds of treason, no excuses, NONE!

So where do I head for my fix of Gyro? Find a nice middle eastern market, if it's worth a single grain of salt there'll be a small menu in the back of the shop selling you some of the best street food. When it comes to a restaurants... it's a bit more difficult. The best I know of is Michael's on Manchester, there are probably better places that I haven't gone to yet but never, never order it from a Greek menu... it's a lie.