gum syrup , sometimes gomme and often shortened to gum, has been a bartenders’ staple since the nineteenth century. Multiple syrups parade under this name. Classically, however, gum syrup is rich simple syrup made luxe by the addition of powdered gum arabic. See rich simple syrup. Also known as GA or acacia gum, gum arabic is an exudate, the hardened sap of Acacia senegal, A. seyal, and closely related trees that grow wild in sub-Saharan Africa and in parts of India. It is termed arabic after Arab traders who once brought the raw material to Europe, but it has been known since the second millennium bce. Added to sugar syrup, this hydrocolloid contributes a silken mouthfeel to cocktails, a weighty unctuousness that is especially pleasing in spirituous drinks. Perhaps because they found it difficult to use, corner-cutting bartenders jettisoned powdered gum long ago yet retained the names gomme or gum for their gumless syrups. Ratios of sugar to water in old recipes range from equal parts to quadruple the sugar. Although heavy syrups must be heated to dissolve the sugar, gum arabic itself requires no heating to hydrate. Pioneering mixographer Charles H. Baker clarified his version with egg whites, a move largely obviated by the purity of modern refined sugar, but which results in a particularly limpid syrup. Modernist bartenders have experimented with other thickening and emulsification agents in their gum syrups, including xanthan gum and powdered egg white, to replace or act in concert with gum arabic. Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s proportions yield excellent results with the classic ingredients.
Recipe: In a small container, combine 55 g gum arabic and 60 ml water. Stir to blend, then cover the mix. When the gum arabic is completely dissolved (after approximately 48 hours), heat 340 g superfine sugar and 120 ml water in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar begins to dissolve, then fold in the hydrated gum arabic mixture. Remove from heat immediately and let cool. Bottle the syrup and store in the refrigerator indefinitely.
See also Baker, Charles Henry, Jr.; sugar; and syrup.
Montenegro, M. A., M. L. Boiero, L. Valle, and C. D. Borsarell. “Gum Arabic: More Than an Edible Emulsifier.” Products and Applications of Biopolymers 51 (2012): 953–978.
Morgenthaler, J. The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2014.
Myhrvold, N., C. Young, and M. Bilet. Modernist Cuisine, vol 4, Ingredients and Preparations. Bellevue, WA: Cooking Lab, 2011.
Patel, S., and A. Goyal. “Applications of Natural Polymer Gum Arabic: A Review.” International Journal of Food Properties 18, no. 5 (2015): 986–998.
By: Matthew Rowley