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I’m late in the game, but I have longevity. At least that’s what I like to think when I’m drinking turmeric tonic, which may (or may not) prolong that admirable longevity I’m boasting about. I don’t know how true those claims are, but I do know that I had my first taste of it in Los Angeles, at Sqirl, and I loved it.

The juice thing has come to Paris, but they’re not widely available freshly made. And I haven’t really seen fresh turmeric juice anywhere, although I haven’t really looked. Usually I don’t get farther than the wine aisle at the grocery store.

I recently had to give up coffee, which others online were freaking out about, more than I was, although I still have an espresso once in a while. (Which seemed to calm everybody down.) So I was looking for something that would rev me up during the day. Some say turmeric has all sorts of healthful properties, which is certainly a bonus, but I really enjoy the flavor of it; it’s earthy and ruddy, but not bitter or off-putting. Sometimes poured over ice, or just on its own, with hints of citrus and a jolt of fresh ginger, I wanted to have it more often, which meant making it at home, rather than jetting back to L.A.

In other news on the home front, we also stopped drinking store-bought orange juice in favor of carrot juice. I haven’t found it fresh in any of the natural foods stores in Paris, just shelf-stable carrot juice in bottles on the shelves. I made the mistake of taking a swig of it the morning after Romain brought it home, and it was like chugging a glass of tepid unseasoned carrot soup. Not the first thing I want to drink when I wake up. Or really, at any time of the day.

Hence, I went out and bought a centrifugeuse, which I had to practice pronouncing before I went out to buy one. Repeating the word over-and-over under my breath on the 56 bus, I ended up at Darty, a store that specializes in large and small appliances, whose website listed a ton of juicers (which I’ll say in English from now one, since that’s easier to write, than spell centrifugeuse, too) – but at the store they only had a few on display, not as many as on their website.

I had planned to get a medium-priced model with a good amount of power, but saw a very inexpensive one for only €29,99 ($37) which was a lot smaller than the one I came in to buy. Even though I have a bigger kitchen now than I used to, space is still an issue. Plus I think every juicer comes with a warning that you’re only going to use it only a few times before you put it in your cabinet and forget about it, or sell it.

So I decided to go with the €29,99 model. When I went to their website on my phone to check the wattage (power), I noticed it was marked €5 less than the price in the store. When I asked the very nice salesperson if they would honor that price in their own store, she said no, but I could order it online and pick it up in the store. But I would have to wait an hour for the order to process. Hmmm…

While we were discussing what I should do, she noticed how much trouble having with the word centrifugeuses and asked me if I wanted to speak in English. I said “Non, because it’ll be more expensive if I do” she got a (very) good laugh out of that. Still, I wasn’t getting €5 off, but €29,99 was a pretty good price for what turned out to be a fairly powerful juicer, at least for my needs, namely, juicing turmeric and ginger.

(Of course, when I went back to the store the following week to buy something else, the juicers were marked down to – yup … €24,99.)

After my first try at juicing curcuma (turmeric), the pristine, crystal-clear plastic on my brand-new juicer turned bright orange, as did my fingers. I also learned why people who live in countries where turmeric is used frequently wear brightly colored clothes.

Living in Paris, my normal color palette is black, complemented by more black, with sometimes a bit of grey thrown in. However, I’ll admit that I’m throwing everyone for a curve and adding some blue to my wardrobe. But I’m finally making use of the mustard-colored sweatshirt that Romain bought me a while back, that I was hesitant to wear outside, but now have the perfect place to wear it; in my kitchen, standing in front of my juicer.

My orangey fingers didn’t bother me. Being a cook most of my life, I was used to things like stained fingers and bits of chocolate or butter on my face, or wherever. All those things are like badges of honor, like the scar I will forever have on my arm from reaching for a giant roll of aluminum foil atop a restaurant refrigerator, whose sharp, jagged edge landed me in the emergency room after my shift was over.

As someone on Instagram said, “Sorry, this is your life now.” And I say, “Thank God for stainless steel counters.” I had a whole kitchen done in stainless steel many years ago and I loved it. You could put anything on the counter, hot or cold, and it stood up to everything. And now, faced with turmeric, my current little stretch of inox in my kitchen has lived up to its “stainless” moniker.

However, I did learn not to wash the parts of the machine in the dishwasher after juicing turmeric. On the plus side, everything in my kitchen, from wooden-handled spatulas to measuring cups, has delightfully taken on the look of well-used, vintage French kitchenware.

That’s a small price to pay for a glass of fresh juice maison (homemade), as well as having people back off when they see someone with orange-stained fingers reaching for the same bar on the métro as them. But I’m happy to be staying in the pink, as they say, or rather, in the orange.

Turmeric Tonic

Inspired by recipes from Sqirl: Everything I Want to Eat and Alison Roman for Bon Appétit I find fresh turmeric root fairly easily in natural food stores, as well as in shops that specialize in Asian, Indian, and Sri Lankan foods. I've made this swapping out the maple syrup with rice syrup, honey, or agave nectar. Maple syrup integrates quickly into the lemon juice, but other liquid sweeteners may need to be slightly warmed. Black pepper, apparently, may help turmeric do the good things that it's supposed to do for you, so I like to grind some on top. (Plus it tastes good, too.) If you're sensitive about staining your hands or clothes, wear rubber gloves and an apron (and perhaps something orange) when juicing the turmeric. Someone on social media told me that Lysol Wipes remove turmeric stains on your hands. I haven't tried them, but if you have any tips or techniques for juicing turmeric, or making turmeric tonic, I'm definitely interested in reading them in the comments.
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2-inch (50g, 1 3/4oz) piece of fresh ginger, (no need to peel)
  • 12 (65g, 2 1/4 oz) pieces fresh turmeric
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • sparkling water
  • In a small jar, shake together the lemon juice and maple syrup.
  • Put the jar under the spout of the juicer and juice the ginger and turmeric into the jar. Screw on the top, making sure it's firmly in place (so the juice doesn't fly out and stain your kitchen) and shake to incorporated all the ingredients.
  • Pour about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the turmeric juice mixture into a short glass. Fill halfway, or further, with sparkling water and stir. If desired, add a few ice cubes, then top with fresh black pepper.

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107 comments

    • BarbG

    Have you tried washing the juicer with vinegar to remove the stains (your badge of honor). I’m sprinkling turmeric sparingly on veggies which add flavor.
    BarbG

    • Taste of France

    To get rid of discoloration in plastic, soak it with some denture tablets. I also use them to clean our wine decanter–my husband faints if anything like soap comes near the decanter, but since people with dentures drink wine and don’t complain about the taste, I convinced him that denture tablets wouldn’t taint the decanter.

      • june2

      genius

      • Ruthie

      In the recipe what is the amount of tumeric? 12 what?

        • David
        David Lebovitz

        It’s 12 rhizomes. I wasn’t sure how to phrase that since I didn’t know if people would know what a rhizome was. I guess I could call them turmeric “pieces”?

      • Bebe

      Off topic, denture tablets do wonders for coffee stained cups and mugs. A half in a cup of water overnight. Voila!

      Our dentist puts out bowls of free samples, bless his heart…

    • Greg

    My mother recently thought my color was off. I thought nothing of it until my wife mentioned the same thing a couple of weeks later. I went to the doctor to see if I was jaundice, but no, it was too much tumeric and carrot juice. :)

      • Jake Sterling

      Do they sell juicers like that in the USA? I’ve never seen a juicer for €24.99—which is about USD 30! I looked up “proline” but…nothing.

        • R. Brite

        I believe that’s the Darty house brand.

    • Ginny

    Baking soda paste takes turmeric stain away!

    • AMEN Kahwajy

    Gave up on juicers long ago in favor of whole plants, got the fiber along with no sugar rush. Did start using a Vita-Mix to juice. It was great, as it would blend juices and at a different speed even make soup. There are other brands, but you do need a high speed and strong horsepower.
    Loved your post, even more witty than usual.

      • eliza

      Fresh juice contains lots of soluble fibre. Why would you give up juicing???

        • Susan

        Sorry to disagree but I do- vitamixing is way healthier than juicing- as juicers strain all of the natural fibers out leaving you with a pure sugar cocktail, which has a high Glycemic Index and spikes your blood sugar. Vitamixing is liquefying the whole plant including the blood sugar stabilizing fibers and pulps.

        For David’s concoction I would still use my juicer as turmeric and ginger and lemon are all very low GI to begin with and it’s a tonic- but for everything else it’s a vitamix.

          • Barbara

          I don’t have a juicer, but assume I *can* make this in the Vitamix. Is this correct?

      • Barbara Nirka

      Did u try THE BULLIT. USA. Works, very very, very well.

    • Lisa

    I just looked online and can’t find a centrifuge in the US for under several hundred bucks. I assume the one you bought at Darty won’t work in the US without a converter and adaptor – or maybe it won’t work at all? Any suggestions?

      • TheLadyJAK

      Lisa just look for a juicer. Breville makes a really good one, but you can find great deals on Craigslist for people who bought them in the new year as part of their resolutions, then two months later realized they’ll never use it

      • Darla Kavanaugh

      I had to get an adapter for a sewing machine I bought on Ebay from England. I think it was from Radio Shack and was about $25.00

    • Alison

    I, too, live in Paris and have recently started juicing (merci à ma centrifugeuse Kenwood). Fresh turmeric is in almost everything, but I love adding grapefruit to it too. Just an idea! As another American who loves to cook in Paris, would love to meet!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I’ve got an event next month at The American Library in Paris. It’s listed on my Schedule page. It should be a fun evening!

      • Nancy Wolf

      I use my food processor add everything together and take it out and cook it for awhile. Then I squeeze ir through a seive, and put it in ice cube trays and freeze it. I use one cube a day in my tea. I do add about 1cup water and stevia, but make larger quantities. I like her way of doing it, will try it next time I make it.

    • Jennifer

    Hi David,
    I mix organic turmeric powder with water or milk kefir. Very easy and no mess. It was recommended by dr Weil.

    Jennifer

    • Dawn

    Fyi apparently turmeric is particularly good for those suffering from arthritis, because of its anti-inflammatory properties. But only good for you if cooked/heated.

    • Sunnycovechef

    I have a Vitamix ( a lady in Costco talked me into buying it) and I use it quite often. I usually put some slices of ginger and turmeric into my green tea. I will make your juice today, thanks for the recipe.
    Gerlinde

    • Kathleen Mann

    Hi David,

    You think the stains are a small price to pay for a glass of fresh juice, and I have made the exact opposite calculation. I wear more white than black, and it takes only a TINY splat of turmeric-spiced food to create a big battle-the-stain effort. Thankfully, the Mexican sun and a little lemon juice do the job.

    In the end, despite the great health benefits, good taste and lovely yellow color, the price is too great for me, and I’m done with it.

    May you live long and well!

      • Tasha

      Yes, I just wanted to add, hang whatever is stained with turmeric in the sunshine and the stain will disappear. I’m not sure it works for plastic, but it definitely works on fabric.

      Cheers!

        • Pranita

        My Indian family uses sun to take out turmeric stain it works on plastic very well.

    • Barbara

    /Users/admin/Desktop/Screen Shot 2018-03-19 at 7.56.40 AM.png

    I can’t make this cookie go away as I am looking at your delightful posting. It’s gross

    • Kristin

    I don’t have any tips on cleaning, but I had that Tumeric Tonic at Sqirl in LA and have been thinking about it ever since. This is inspiring me to buy a juicer!

    • gfy

    I bulk buy turmeric and ginger, juice, freeze in silicon ice cube trays and store separately in 1 gallon freezer bags to use as needed. Saves a LOT of time and I end up using way more of each than I would if I had to juice fresh each time, so I actually benefit, healthwise. I do the same with bags of costco lemons. Btw, great idea to buy a cheap juicer for this as it does stain – my Hurom parts, tho black, have an unremoveable film on them now…but I am going to try the denture tablet trick, so thanks, commentor!

    health-pro tip: adding a bit of fresh black pepper to your turmeric, in any recipe, radically improves its effectiveness, according to a bunch of studies!

    • Linda L.

    What do you do with the solids left over after the juicing?

      • Bonny

      A a small amount of turmeric make chicken soup a delightful color.

      • Julie Hock

      It could go into your compost bin.

      • gfy

      compost. my compost situation is aces, haha. I juice weekly so composting is vital. those new to juicing always try to reuse the pulp but it is just fiber after juicing – there’s very little nutrition left and I feel good about sharing it with the earth instead (I also use earthworms in my composter).

    • Kathy Watson

    David, you say you don’t need to peel the ginger. How about the turmeric? Any need to peel that?

    • Suzie

    Instead of juicing I slice fresh turmeric and ginger, pour boiling water, a little lemon and it’s a wonderful substitute for coffee in the morning. I make enough to have it iced the rest of the day.

      • Jasper

      That sounds wonderful! I (new to turmeric) will try it tomorrow.

    • Susanne

    David, where do you purchase Trader Joe’s maple syrup in Paris???

      • Christine

      Just saw maple syrup for sale at G. Detou, 58 Rue Tiquetonne, 75002

        • David
        David Lebovitz

        Most grocery stores in Paris sell it, as do natural food stores. Most Europeans don’t use it in the same quantities as people do in North America (pancakes, waffles, etc.), but it is available…and appreciated!

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Susanne: It’s actually not from Trader Joe’s (even though the name might make you, or me, think so) – it’s from a Canadian company & they export to France.

    Kathy: No need to peel the turmeric either. Whew!

    gfy: Apparently freezing doesn’t change whatever is in turmeric that is supposed to be good for you. So it’s probably a good idea to do what you do, to save time & clean up!

    Barbara: I can’t see any image like that on my computer so not sure what you’re seeing. Sorry!

      • Claudine

      I used to buy this one from Leclerc (French supermarket chain, for those who are not familiar with the name). Very tasty and reasonably priced, too!

    • Carmen

    Omg great article! I really loved the humor could hardly eat my lunch I was laughing so hard.

      • Deb

      I agree, made my day!

    • tricia

    Perfect timing! My doc just told me to try turmeric with black pepper for arthritis. Think I’ll go for the Vitamix now and get the fibre too. Happily orange is my favourite colour!

    • Claudia

    I put tumeric and ginger along with fresh mint into my morning fruit/greens smoothies using a blender. I’ll try topping off with fresh-ground black pepper. I don’t peel the tumeric and any stains on fingers fades in an hour or two.

    • Elaine Fram

    David,

    I live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in the winter and have been adding fresh turmeric to my soups for the past few years. It is sold everywhere. I did notice this past Sat. at the tourist market, they are offering turmeric shots. I bought a bag of tea with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and pepper to take home. My sister has a natural food store in Canada and tells me to be careful. It can be hard on the stomach. Loved your new book.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Thanks…Really glad you liked my new book!

    • Parisbreakfast

    What a great deal on a juicer at Darty! I’ve been looking for a while. I get OJ from the DIY sqeeze machines in Franprix (1,59 for 50 grm). Now they have whole pomegranates to juice as well at the St.Paul branch – my cure-everything elixir.

    • Vindhya

    Hi David, I would love to send you home made turmeric powder. My friend in South part of India has turmeric farm. Once the roots are harvested, they sun dry the roots and grind it into powder. Its pure turmeric powder. No adulteration. I doubt the purity of this product sold in stores. Every year I receive packs from my friend for my everyday cooking. For your drink you may boil 1-2 teaspoon of turmeric powder with water or milk and mix with anything you like and drink.
    Please let me know.
    Alawys love reading your blogs and try recipes.

    • Margaret

    Very timely post. I organized my spices a few weeks ago and noticed the same thing about turmeric – it stained my kitchen towels and even my white plastic mixer paddles. Will try the stain remover suggestions.

    • Sandra Myers

    Maybe I’m not shopping the right markets in the US, because one typically only sees either fresh ginger root or horseradish root, but not turmeric. It’s supposedly has anti-inflammatory properties. The powdered stuff in things like this, if not prepared properly is too strong, stays too thick and the taste makes me gag and dump it. I’d like to try your recipe because you get things right that others, just don’t.
    So where would you suggest I look for turmeric root–Whole Foods?

      • Nancy travers

      Yes, Whole Foods always has turmeric.

      • Mary

      Yes, it is typically with the Asian produce at Whole Foods.

      • Christina

      I always find fresh turmeric at large Asian groceries.

      • Nancy Wolf

      I get mine in Lucky stores, and even Safeway

      • Lynne Zeller

      Sandra Myers: Look in Asian & International grocery stores, Sprouts and Whole foods, farmer’s markets. I am in San Diego. Keep asking for fresh turmeric. With demand, fresh turmeric is becoming more available.

    • Joan Moore

    As Greg mentioned, drinking lots of carrot juice will turn you orange. The way you can tell someone is orange from diet rather than Jaundiced is that the whites of their eyes are not orange tinted. My husband is a physician and has seen plenty of orange tinted people here in Santa Cruz. Stop drinking or eating lots of carrots and the orange will go away. I don’t know if turmeric colors you.

      • Hope Anderson

      I hope your husband tells those people that Vitamin A builds up in the body, causing bone pain, vision problems and liver damage. Unlike most other vitamins, it is toxic in excess.

    • amanda

    After trying almost every soap in my house to try to remove the stain from my hands (and blender) I found that my liquid laundry detergent worked beautifully.

    • Judith

    I like to use Perrier and add it to my turmeric “ slosh”.

    • Steve

    When you get tired of all that work try Turmeric capsules.

    • Sandra

    Vim Cleanser with bleach gets out the stains.

    • Hope Anderson

    Reading this makes me grateful to live 15 minutes away from Sqirl. It is a delicious tonic, but I have no desire to make it.

    • Carina

    Sugar and water will remove stains easily ;)

    • Aly Waterfall

    I love turmeric and ginger! When I opened your email post and started reading, I smiled, since at the moment I am sipping on a turmeric and ginger kombucha! Yum.
    Here’s a turmeric treat I discovered. On one of those mornings you enjoy a coffee, try a 1/8 teaspoon of ground tumeric and 1/16 teaspoon of cardamom in a double shot of fresh pulled espresso ( is 1/16th a real thing? Or would this constitute a pinch?- I just use the 1/8th teaspoon and scoop up just half of the cardamom) whisk well into the espresso with your sweetener of choice to taste. I then steam enough milk. It’s delish! I was introduced to the turmeric/ginger cappuccino at Cafe Madeline in Brooklyn a couple years back during a visit with my son. I was hooked. When I returned to Seattle, I then tested the turmeric with cardamom in my morning espresso and got even more hooked! Great way to spice up a coffee and alleviate some of the guilt. 9now I want to try a micro pinch of ground pepper? What I know about the pepper is it apparently helps the body absorb more the the turmeric’s helpful properties. Why pepper is in chai with turmeric and other Indian spice blends. I have one of those big centrifugal juicers that gathers dust a back cabinet during the cold wet miserable Seattle winter months and then gets pulled out for regular juicing once the warmer side of spring gets rolling. I just get too cold and desire everything warm. Thanks for the inspiration and smiles.

    • Lien

    I make golden milk with turmeric everyday … I add organic turmeric powder to warm whole cow or soy milk … If I use soy milk then I also add coconut or olive oil because I read somewhere that fat helps the body assimilate the spice better

    • Malcolm W.

    Your story today made me laugh out loud. Just what I needed on a Monday. Love your website.

    • sarinah

    Tumeric drink is traditional herbal drink in Java, Indonesia. We often have it 2-3 times a week during my childhood. Grated fresh tumeric, tamarind, palm/coconut sugar boiled with water. Cooled (if you want add honey), drink at room temperature or with ice on hot day.

    • Karen

    Hi David – juice orange and lemon, 1/4 tsp ground clove, some grated fresh turmeric and ginger, squeeze of honey and loads of ice. It’s my summer go-to … so refreshing.

    • Kelly

    I agree, this stuff is delicious and a nice jolt. I think it may cancel out the health benefits if you’re wiping down your skin with Lysol, though…

    • Julie Hock

    Without sounding like pompous, I wonder why squeezing oranges or juicing fresh carrots is not considered in preference to a bottle of stuff which could have been sitting around for ages.
    Loved this post David, apparently Tumeric is also good for auto immune diseases i.e, Rheumatoid Arthritis.

    • Jan

    Hi,

    Just a thought – have you had your
    thyroid function checked lately?

    • Portland Be

    In the l950’s, there was a recipe in Woman’s Day Magazine (surely defunct by now) called “Chicken and Yellow Rice.” It has been a favorite family & guest recipe now for three generations. The “yellow” is, of course, turmeric, available, believe it or not, even in the heartland in the 50’s. Yum. Think I make it for dinner tomorrow night.

      • Linda L.

      Woman’s Day is still around!

    • Nada

    Just Perfect! Surely this will be having a place in my home these coming summer months instead of the Moscow Mule I’ve been addicted too.
    I do my bulletproof coffee every morning with adding a pinch of turmeric, sounds good with a dash of black pepper as some of the posts would recommend.

    • IshitaUnblogged

    I am fascinated to learn that something as basic as turmeric that we Indians have been using for centuries have become such a health rage now in the West. Had my grandmothers been alive, they would have found it hard to believe that turmeric has be rediscovered as the elixir of life by the new generation. Cheers to Turmeric!!!!

    • Oscar

    Thanks for sharing your turmeric juice experience!
    I am also using a fresh turmeric for almost 2 years, I serve it like a turmeric tea with lemon and honey.

    My procedure is
    1. I peeling the skin
    2. Chop into small pieces
    3. Put inside the empty tea bag ( but a little bit thick tea bag I’m using)
    4. Put the tea bag inside the mug or cup then crushed the turmeric while inside the tea bag, and that’s it!
    5. Add the boiled water, add lemon and honey. Then, that’s it I have a freshly home made turmeric tea.

    But I’ll try to make a juice like what you shared.

    NOTE:
    I found, out since I using turmeric as a tea almost every night before I go to bed. I have a very strong emmune system, almost all my office mates get sick specially during winter or summer or every time there is a change of weather, but me very rare that I get sick.

    I can recommend to those who want to have a healthy body just use fresh turmeric tea or juice even just a glass a day.

    About cleaning the stain of turmeric.
    I use Jiff to clean the knife.

    Thanks every one!

      • TedL

      Oscar commented that he drinks turmeric tea every night with the seeming consequence that he has a very strong immune system. I live in the American Midwest and for the past 8 years I simply do not get sick (I am 68) whereas before 2010 I got the usual two or three colds each winter that are typical for most people I know. What did I do differently? I started taking 5000 IU of Vitamin D3 every day. As it turns out, turmeric contains a substance called curcumin, which is a Vitamin D receptor agonist, which means it activates the vitamin D receptors that are present in most cells. So the impression many people have that turmeric is exceptionally good for you is correct, because it mimics the effects of Vitamin D. If you want to know what are the likely beneficial effects of turmeric, check out the benefits of Vitamin D at the website grassrootshealth dot net.

    • Clark Taylor

    question : 12 whats ?
    (12 (65g, 2 1/4 oz) fresh turmeric root)

    Thx.

    • online cake delivery in noida

    As winter is gone and summer is knocking our door, we all need something to drink that boost us up. This turmeric tonic is one of them. I love the idea you shared, although i make this very simple. You just made this something unique for special moment.

    • Lisbeth Verleye

    Looks graet and super healthy, l don’t mind the stains on hands ‚ but what does that garish orange do to your teeth ? Do l have to stop smiling ?

      • gfy

      All of India appears to have neon white teeth so it doesn’t seem to be an issue and I’ve never noticed it staining tooth enamel on myself.

    • Jere

    David,You will just have to redo your wardrobe if you are drinking the Turmeric and carrot juices ’cause you know Orange is the new black.
    Jere

    • Christina

    Black pepper and MCT oil (coconut oil) aid in the process of assimilation of the benefits of turmeric,
    *MCT medium chain triglycerides.
    The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin a powerful anti inflammatory

      • KittyWrangler

      Interesting! I brew this stuff as a tea and I love black pepper; but do you happen to know if brewed black pepper would have an effect, or would you need to eat the kernel? I suppose I could just eat a snack with black pepper and coconut oil on it along with the tea. It’s all going to the same place anyway.

    • minni

    I don’t comment usually as it would be a repetition of a comment above, but as an Indian, I do feel I have to say that if you get turmeric on your clothes, hanging it out in the sun to dry (when there is sun) helps get rid of the stain. The other way is to use 1/2 part dishwashing liquid and 1/2 part white vinegar to wash off any stain. You can use this latter bit on your counters and other surfaces too with the same effect. Thank you for your lovely posts and recipes!
    Cheers,

    • Vicki

    Fresh turmeric in California at Whole Foods…$14.99 a pound. Is it that expensive in Paris?

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Organic turmeric (which I don’t know if Whole Foods is selling) is around €18/kilo, roughly $12 per pound. Fortunately a little goes a long way and the amount of turmeric I use to make this recipe costs me about €2, so it’s not that much.

    • KittyWrangler

    Tonic, hmm? Sounds good. It’s still cold here, so I’ll stick with the hot tea I make. You put turmeric powder (I don’t have access to fresh), sliced ginger, honey and a squeeze of lemon juice in a teapot and brew it all together with hot water. Maybe add some milk. The tea ends up with a some of the turmeric powder in it, but you stir it up and drink it down. It doesn’t bother me. It’s a little less messy than juicing, as delicious as that sounds.

    My Indian-American friend did a traditional turmeric face & skin treatment before her wedding; it’s supposed to add a subtle glow. So when the trend circulated to do a DIY turmeric powder face mask for acne treatment I gave it a go. Predictably, it dyed my much paler face bright yellow.

    • Erin

    Daveed,

    I just read l’appart and I have to say” BLESS YOU for going through what you did. I was getting gray hairs just reading about the nonsense you endured throughout the entire ordeal. I’m glad you’ve recovered and I dearly love reading about your sweet life in Paris.

    • Mel

    First, thanks for clearing up the mystery about the ‘centrifugeuse’. Often wondered what that was so glad to know it’s a juicer. That said, I only drink grape juice (fermented) so probably won’t invest. I switched from OJ to eating fruit for breakfast and haven’t looked back. But your attempt to negotiate at Darty cracked me up! There’s just no expecting to be treated like a valued customer in a French store, eh?

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      They were actually quite nice at Darty and the woman laughed at my joke (!) The problem is that often, rules are literal and iron-clad. One would think that a store would honor the website price online, since it’s the same store. But “website price” and “store price” – meant just that!

    • Sherri

    I have used fresh turmeric for years. No way to avoid the yellow staining on your fingers or clothes. But here’s a couple tips for preserving it, as I only find the markets carry fresh turmeric for half the year. I preserve the juice with pure grain alcohol. 3 parts juice, 1 part pure grain ensures that it can stay fresh out of the fridge. OR, you can freeze it in ice cube trays. ENJOY year round!

    • BelleD

    Try using some vegetable oil to remove turmeric stains. Got that tip from a juicer manual.

    • Kathleen

    For those of you in North America, try using Fantastic on turmeric stains. When you spray it, the yellow/orange stain turns into a darker orangey-pink and lifts right off with a paper towel.

    • klk

    The real crisis is having to give up coffee…

    • Licia

    Hello David, cannot thank you enough for this post! Was trying to get the recipe for Sqirl’s Tumeric tonic and wasn’t quite there and you just presented it. I love Sqirl and always order the tonic while I wait for the food. Since the wait is close to 45 minutes every time, whenever the waiter apologizes and says “can I offer you a drink on the house?”, I get my second tonic for free… From now on, I will make my own tonic and order the food to go so it’s ready when I get there and go eat it at the nearby park. What a great place. I love their sorrel pesto rice… not many people use “oseille” here in the State, whereas it is a staple in France.

    • Katherine

    As for your hands, a bit of grit will help remove the stains. Make a paste of sugar and coconut oil (any oil will do) and rub away. Kinder to your skin than chemical wipes.

    • Anne Moore

    I make something similar: easy, no mess.

    Ginger, 1-2 inch, grated
    Juice of 1 lemon
    1 tbsp turmeric
    1 cup (8 oz) unsweetened coconut milk

    Combine all in blender. Pulse briefly. Strain.

    I add 1/4 c of this to tall glass of seltzer water and a splash of orange juice. Delicious.

    • Theresa

    I once made the mistake of bringing my turmeric latte into bed with me. My poor duvet will never be the same.

    This turmeric tonic looks yummy! I’m a fan of the magic bullet, though I’m not sure how well that would work with this…Perhaps an experiment is in order!

    • Cabet

    Turmeric root for $5.99/lb is usually available at my local Sprouts Farmers Market in California.

    • M’liss

    I use turmeric in cooking often but I take it in pill form medicinally because I’m concerned about it staining my teeth.

    • Tatiana

    Just wondering if there is a way to make this or something similar without a juicer? Maybe by grating the ginger and turmeric on a Japanese style ginger grater? Or chopping it fine in a food processor or blender? Just trying to avoid having to purchase yet another appliance.

    • Natalie

    Looks really interesting! I often eat turmeric with noodles or rice but never tried with the drinks. I guess it must be so strong with the flavour.

    However, I hope there’s some other ingredients to make the taste of turmetic lighter.

A

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