Cream Soda
Step 1
Make the vanilla-honey syrup: In a small (2-quart) nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, honey and 1/2 cup of the water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and honey dissolve and the mixture turns a light, golden caramel color, 5 to 8 minutes.
Step 2
Remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 1 cup of water, then stir in the vanilla bean and scraped-out seeds. Return to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat, cover and set aside to cool completely. You should have 2 cups of syrup.
Step 3
Remove the vanilla bean (rinse it and save it for another use, see Notes), then transfer the syrup to a 2-cup (500-milliliter) bottle or other resealable container, and refrigerate until needed.
Step 4
Make the cream soda: Add the vanilla-honey syrup to a 12-ounce glass. Fill the glass with ice, top with carbonated water and gently stir to combine. Taste, add more syrup, if desired, and serve immediately.