Ginger Egg Cream

Here's a refreshing twist on a New York favorite - the egg cream, which is typically milk, seltzer and sugar with a little chocolate added now and again.  The ginger syrup has a Vernors Ginger Ale familiarity to it.

Ginger syrup:
1/2 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients except the vanilla in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until reduced to one cup liquid.
Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and cool and strain.

For the ginger egg cream:
1 Tbl chocolate syrup
4 Tbl ginger syrup
1/3 cup half and half
Sparkling seltzer water

In a 12 to 16 ounce tumbler, mix the chocolate syrup, ginger syrup and half and half together.
Pour in enough seltzer to come within an inch of the top of the glass.  Stir and enjoy!