Cucumber and dill give a subtle, delightful
flavor to a carafe of water. Photo © Maxim
Shebeko | Dreamstime.

It’s not easy to find Ayala’s where we live, but we do the next best thing: We add herbs and spices to pitchers of water. We don’t get the same flavor extraction that Ayala’s does, but we do get a subtle note of flavor that turns plain water into something special.

Turn that pitcher of ordinary water into something special with herbs and spices. You may already add lemon or lime slices, berries or cucumber your water pitcher. But try some new flavorings with sweet herbs or spices—in addition to the fruits or by themselves.

Herbs For Flavoring

Before adding herbs to the water, crush them slightly in your hand to release the aromatic oils. Let the flavor infuse for 15 minutes or more. The longer you infuse, the more flavor is extracted.

Spices For Flavoring

You can also start with spices, such as:

 
Then, try combinations such as ginger-cardamom and mint-clove—and whatever sounds good to you. One of our favorite combinations is cucumber-dill.

FOOD TRIVIA: LAVENDER

Lavender derives from the Latin word lavare, to wash. The Romans used it to scent their bathwater.

The Roman Legion brought the plant to Britain, where it later became popular in homeopathy: to ease stiff joints, battle infections, provide a calming influence and other remedies. Lavender was used for repelling insects, masking odors (potpourri) and was carried in nosegays to try to ward off the plague and pestilence.

Today, we know that a far better purpose is in baking, condiments, ice cream, iced tea and other recipes—like flavored water.