For a summer cocktail, look no further than a Ginnie Meyer

to grab some at the store to use as a garnish. CIA beverage instructor John Fischer created this cocktail and says, “Candied ginger is so tasty and so much fun because of its heat. My friends and I always try to steal the garnish from each other’s glasses.”

The candying process adds plenty of sweetness to offset the spicy qualities of this flavorful root. If you have leftover, chop it up and add to spice cookies or sprinkle on top of a baked pound cake.

The recipe calls for simple syrup, which is .simple. In a small saucepan, combine equal parts water and sugar, and bring to a boil until the sugar is fully dissolved. One cup of water and one cup of sugar is a convenient quantity to keep on hand. The syrup can be flavored by steeping ingredients like herbs and vanilla beans, or by blending with fresh fruit juice or purée (like raspberries) — because soon enough, you’re going to need a summer cocktail.

GINNIE MEYER

Start to finish: 5 minutes Servings: 1 serving 1 ounce freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice ½ ounce simple syrup 2 ounces gin 2 to 4 ounces ginger beer 1 piece of candied ginger 1 mint sprig, for garnish (optional)

Pour the lemon juice, simple syrup, and gin into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake the cocktail like you mean it and strain over fresh ice in a Collins (tall) glass. Top with the ginger beer and garnish with a piece of candied ginger stuck on a toothpick. Top with mint, if desired.

Chef’s Note: If you don’t have bar measuring tools, you can use a tablespoon measure — 1 ounce is equal to 2 tablespoons.

Nutrition information per serving: 241 calories; 0 calories from fat; 0 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 11 mg sodium; 24 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 20 g sugar; 0 g protein. FLORENCE, ITALY >> The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is showing solidarity with Italy’s art-rich, quakestricken Marche region by hosting an exhibit of treasures saved froma series of earthquakes last year.

Uffizi Gallery director Eike Schmidt told the Associated Press during a walk-through Friday that the 29 selected works were from churches, museums and other buildings either damaged or destroyed in powerful quakes last August and October.

“We didn’t take out anything from a functioning museum. Everything needed to be rescued anyhow, because there was a risk of destruction,” Schmidt said. “Our ideal was really to show some great masterpieces together with two or three damaged works ... to show also a positive story and a negative story.”

The works on display are among some 6,300 pieces of art that the Italian Culture Ministry says have been saved from the central Italy quake zone.

They include a triptych featuring the Madonna and child from the San Vittorino church in Castelsantangelo sul Nera that was badly damaged in the quake and will be restored by experts in Florence.

Also on display is a gold and enameled reliquary set with precious stones that escaped unscathed, a papal gift to the then-Latin Catholic diocese of Montalto delle Marche in the 16th Century, and a painting depicting the future Pope Benedict XIII surviv-