[1] Homemade raspberry seltzer (photo © Spoonful Of Flour).

You can use fresh or frozen and leave the drink unsweetened, like commercial flavored seltzer. Or, add sugar to turn it into…soda pop.

You can use different fruits; although tender berries dissolve the most easily into syrup.
 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE FLAVORED SELTZER

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• Optional: 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (or other fruit)
• Seltzer or club soda, chilled (club soda has added salt; see glossary below)
• Optional: squeeze of lime or lemon juice

1. BOIL water. If using sweetener, add the sugar and stir to dissolve.

2. ADD raspberries and stir. Cook 3 to 5 minutes. Strain out seeds or purée as desired. Let cool (store in the fridge in a closed container).

3. MAKE drink: Add 2-3 tablespoons of raspberry syrup to a glass (more if desired). Add cold seltzer water and optional lemon or lime juice. Stir gently and serve straight up, or over ice.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLUB SODA & SELTZER

 
A Glossary Of Sparkling Waters

Any effervescent water belongs to the category of carbonated water, also called soda water: water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, causing the water to become effervescent. The carbon dioxide can be natural, as in some spring waters and mineral waters, or can be added in the bottling process. (In fact, even some naturally carbonated waters are enhanced with more carbonation at the bottling plant.)

Carbonated Water

In the U.S., carbonated water was known as soda water until after World War II, due to the sodium salts it contained. While today we think of “soda” as a carbonated beverage, the word originally refers to a chemical salts, also called carbonate of soda (sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium monoxide).

The salts were added as flavoring and acidity regulator, to mimic the taste of a natural mineral water.

After the war, terms such as sparkling water and seltzer water gained favor.

[2] No time to make your own flavored seltzer? Just toss in fresh fruit. It will infuse very slightly (photo © Polar Seltzer).

Club Soda

Like the original carbonated water, club soda is enhanced with some sodium salts.

Fizzy Water

Another term for carbonated water.

Seltzer or Seltzer Water

Seltzer is carbonated water with no sodium salts added. The term derives from the town of Selters in central Germany, which is renowned for its mineral springs. The naturally carbonated spring water—which contains naturally dissolved salts—has been commercially bottled and shipped around the world since at least the 18th century. When seltzer is made by carbonating tap water, some salts are added for the slightest hint of flavor. And that’s the difference between seltzer and club soda: Club soda is salt-free.

Soda Water

Another word for club soda. It usually refers to that which is dispensed with a siphon.

Sparkling Water

Another term for carbonated water/soda water. It can also refer to sparkling mineral water, which is pumped from underground aquifers. Note that not all sparkling mineral waters are naturally effervescent. Many are actually carbonated from still mineral water. Some are lightly carbonated by nature, but have extra carbonation added at bottling to meet consumer preferences.

Two Cents Plain

Another word for soda water, coined during the Great Depression, when plain soda water was the cheapest drink at the soda fountain.
 
 
MORE TYPES OF WATER

Check out our Water Glossary for the different types of water, including the difference between mineral water and spring water.

June 18th is National Cherry Tart Day. You’d be surprised how easy it is to make a delicious cherry tart—or any fruit tart.

This recipe works for any fruit tart. Pick any seasonal pie fruit—including, currently, apricots, figs, nectarines, plums and strawberries. Don’t bother with a filling: You won’t notice it with the delicious fruit and the delicious crust.

You can buy or make crème fraîche; here’s a recipe. Or, substitute vanilla ice cream.

Prep time is 90 minutes.
 
 
RECIPE: EASY FRUIT TART

Ingredients

1. PREHEAT oven to 375°F. COMBINE flour, salt and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl or food processor. Dice 8 tablespoons of the butter. Use a pastry blender or two knives to blend the flour mixture and butter in a bowl until crumbly, or pulse them together in a food processor.

2. BEAT the egg yolk with 3 tablespoons of cold water. Dribble over the flour mixture, then stir (in bowl) or pulse slowly (in food processor) until the mixture starts clumping together. Add more water as necessary. Shape the dough into a loose ball and form into a disk on a lightly floured surface.

3. ROLL out the dough and line a 10-inch loose-bottom fluted tart pan. Cover the pastry with a sheet of foil and place pastry weights or dry beans on top. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove foil and weights from the crust. Return the crust to the oven and continue baking until it is lightly browned, another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; increase temperature to 400°F.

4. PIT and slice the fruit: cherries in half, most other fruit in eighths, figs or other small fruit in fourths.

5. BRUSH the crust with the melted preserves (this prevents the crust from becoming soggy). Arrange the fruit in tight concentric circles, skin side down, starting with the perimeter. The fruit should “stand up.”

6. MELT the remaining butter on low and cook until it turns a light nut brown. Brush the fruit with the butter and dust with the remaining sugar.

7. BAKE 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges of the crust have browned but fruit is still perky (not collapsed). Cool and serve with crème fraîche.
  

Not exactly.

They’re delicious tea and fruit juice blends, sweetened with agave, a better alternative to refined sugar.

They lack some of the conventional energy drink kickers, like guarana, a berry that is more caffeine-intense than coffee beans; and the amino acids L-carnitine and taurine.

They do, however, contain ginseng, a medicinal herb that is believed to increase energy and is often used in energy drinks; and all rely on the natural caffeine of tea.

We’re can’t aver that they give us a special energy boost over other iced teas, but they sure are tasty!

The London-based manufacturer is originally from Denmark; the line is distributed throughout Europe and has just launched in Southern California. Hopefully, Little Miracles will get to a store near you soon.

The flavors include:

 
Discover more at DrinkLittleMiracles.com.

[2] When you see blueberries on sale, grab them and make this recipe (photo © Balducci’s).

[3] The crust is made from vanilla wafers (photo © Nabisco).

[4] An entire summer’s worth of desserts. Check out the book (photo © Grand Central Life & Style).

The crust is a simple combination of crushed vanilla wafers and melted butter. While baking the crust helps it to set more firmly, the purpose of this recipe is to keep the heat out of the kitchen.

Similarly, the cheese filling isn’t baked, but sets in the refrigerator. Prep time is 30 minutes.
 
 
RECIPE: NO BAKE BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKES

Ingredients For One 8-Inch Or Two 4-1/2-Inch Cheesecakes

For The Crust

 
For The Filling

 
For The Optional Garnish

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the crust: Mix together the vanilla wafer crumbs and melted butter until the mixture is combined and the crumbs are moistened. Divide the crust mixture evenly between two 4-1/2-inch diameter springform pans or one 8-inch pan.

2. PRESS the crust mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of each pan. Set the pan(s) in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

3. MAKE the filling: Place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add blueberries and pulse until thoroughly mixed. Divide filling between each prepared crust (if making two cheesecakes). Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. REMOVE the sides of pans before serving. Garnish with a dab of whipped cream and a few fresh blueberries.
 
_______________

*Jennifer prefers Trader Joe’s vanilla wafers, but you can default to the ubiquitous Nabisco Nilla Wafers.

†Set aside the nicest blueberries for the garnish.
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MORE NO COOK, NO BAKE RECIPES

Imagine quick and easy no-cook, no-bake savory meals plus cakes, pies, ice cream cakes, cookies, and more no-bake cheesecakes.

Make tasty desserts in minutes that taste like you have worked for hours.

Feed your family fast, stove- and oven-free, in the heat.

Sound good? Then check out:

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

The unconventional “salad” recipe below strays from the well-worn path of green vegetables.

There’s nothing leafy, instead presenting a mélange of peppery radishes, tangy feta cheese, sweet peaches and earthy almonds. You can substitute mangoes or strawberries when peaches are not in season.

The recipe is the creation of member chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami. You can serve it as a separate salad course or as a side dish. Prep time is 20 minutes.

Ingredients For 6 Servings

1. CUT the onions into thinly slices, using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. You should end up with about 1/4 cup.

2. FILL a small bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes and soak the onions for 5 minutes. This mellows the sharp bite typical of raw onions and makes them crisp. Drain the onions and pat dry with paper towels. Thinly slice the radishes.

3. COMBINE the oil and vinegar in a bowl with some salt and black pepper and whisk to combine. Add the peaches, onions, radishes, and basil, tossing gently to evenly coat the ingredients. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.

4. DIVIDE the salad equally among six plates and top with the crumbled feta and toasted almonds.

GET THE COOKBOOK

We rarely thumb through a cookbook and want to make everything. Get this one as a gift for yourself or anyone who likes imaginative seasonal cuisine.

You can purchase it on Amazon.com.