aunt irene - the inspirer of the Classic recipe
This is Aunt Irene. Our Surinamese neighbor when we lived in Antwerp.
She watched me and my little brother when our single mother had to go to work. For years we lived next door to each other, growing up together with her children.
But Aunt Irene did something else special: she made Surinamese ginger beer. An alcohol-free, homemade ginger lemonade according to Surinamese tradition. Very sweet, very spicy, with ginger, lemon and typical spices. I loved it as a child. Her recipe later became the inspiration for our first taste: DZJiNG Classic.
The last time I saw her was in 2016. During our trip to Suriname, my brothers and I visited her unexpectedly. A beautiful reunion.
A few days ago she turned 90. It had long been on my list to visit her at the retirement home in Mechelen, where she now resides. To tell her about the role she played – without knowing it – in my story.
It turned out to be a warm visit to a gritty, still lucid woman. She laughed when I told her she was listed as a “Surinamese aunt” in our recipe brochure. She also remained very down-to-earth about it. However, she is the reason I developed a deep connection with ginger at a young age. Small events can have such a big impact.
Naturally, I brought a bottle for her. What she thought of it?
“Was ok … but I miss the vanilla.”
Her delightful sincerity touched me. And she was right. In my recipe, I replaced the vanilla with almond, which was my preference. But for her, the memory of the taste of her ginger beer was still crystal clear.
Tasting flavors just by thinking about them. It certainly exists.
This meaningful reunion becomes a regular anecdote in DZJiNG’s story anyway. That she enjoyed it a little bit, too, does me good.
Thank you Aunt Irene
