Refreshing flavored water

The first summer days arrived with way too many clouds in the sky.. as if the weather cannot decide on either being hot or cold. Still, our garden and back yard always have some job to be done.. I love this time of year when the fruit season is so rich, and the fruit just keeps on switching turns - a few weeks ago we were picking strawberries, than were the cherries, at the moment the last of the raspberries are showing up in their bushes, the apricots are coming up, the red currants are all ready to get picked, and the blackberry, pear, apple and plum time is only coming up.

 

 

 

 

After the tiring work in the garden, we all look forward to returning to our house, which keeps its cool even without the AC. This recipe is practically more of an idea than an actual recipe for yet another way of feeling refreshed when it really gets hot.

Of course you can buy flavored water in a bottle, but I love to make my own too, in a big jug, with the flavors I enjoy the most. The great thing about this type of process is that you can use up all the fruit and herbs more than once for making yet another jug of icy cold drinks for your family (up to 3-4 jugs).

Refreshing flavored water

for 2 l water

4 slices cucumber

1 lemon

5-6 blueberries

a handful of mint

sugar or honey - if needed

Fill the jug with ice cold water, add in the cucumber slices, blueberries, mint.. Cut half of the lemon in slices and add in. Strain the juice of the other half of the lemon straight into the jug.
If you will drink it straight away, you can add in some ice to make it even more refreshing.
Add in the sugar or honey only if you aren't able to drink plain, non sweetened water.
Mix all the ingredients in the jug and leave aside for at least 5 minutes before consuming.

Do I even have to mention that these ingredients are up for switching up as you please. And of course, you will choose your own, if you have some of your favorites. Will it be red currant, grapes, lime, basil, it is all up to you. My most often combination is lemon+mint, and with them I add in whatever is fresh in my fridge or in the garden.  As I mentioned before, you can use this mix for making several jugs of water one after another, but do make sure you make a new mix every day because it may become bitterish or even sour.

This is also the way for making many different fruit syrups. A few months ago, I used up fresh nettle to make a nettle and lemon syrup, but I will write about that in one of my future posts.

Enjoy your summer days, with much heat only about to come. Hope you try out this recipe along the way.