What’s better than a good recipe? When something’s so easy you don’t need one. In It’s That Simple, we talk you through the dishes and drinks we make with our eyes closed. Today, ginger wine.

Growing up in Bombay, ginger wine—my family’s recipe, specifically—was my drink of choice. I loved watching my mother concoct the deep amber cordial by magically transforming sugar into a rich caramel, then infusing it with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, chiles, ginger, and lime juice. She served it over crushed ice. The first taste was sweet and refreshingly frosty, followed by the warmth of the

This story was published in partnership with The Southern Kitchen, a digital magazine that shares the stories, recipes and heritage of Southern food and culture in today’s South. Click here to subscribe to the Southern Kitchen newsletter for more stories.

When I was a little girl, nothing got me more excited during the summer than the jingle of the ice cream truck. At some point before dinner, the musical sounds of the truck would flow through my neighborhood. It seemed like every kid within a 5-mile radius would spill out of their homes, dollars in hand, to score an