Posted on by Annika · 4 Comments

Ginger Water

If you are looking for a refreshing (and healthy) beverage to cool off during the summer, ginger water may be the thing for you!

Refreshing and easy to make.

Ingredients

For the “Base”
  • 70 g of chopped ginger
  • 70 ml of water
For the Drink
  • ⅛ ginger water
  • ⅞ sparkling mineral water
  • about 1 tablespoon of honey of maple syrup

How to Make It

  • Wash and peel the ginger, then cut it into pieces.
  • Blend the pieces of ginger with the water thoroughly. Pour the blended mix through a strainer to filter out the fibers. The resulting liquid. is your “base.” You can store it in a bottle the fridge for about ten days.
  • For the actual beverage, mix ⅛ of ginger water with ⅞ of sparkling mineral water.
  • Add honey or maple syrup to sweeten it. Stir thoroughly and enjoy.
The perfect summer drink.
Posted on by Annika · 1 Comment

Elderflower Syrup

These past weeks, many gardens in my neighborhood had their elderberry trees in full bloom and the white flowers looked absolutely lovely. But it was actually my mother who suggested I try to make my own elderflower syrup – I had not made the connection at all between the white blossoms and the fruity syrup… The good news is that it is surprisingly easy to make, you only need a bit of patience. 🙂

The syrup tastes great as a non-alcoholic refreshment. Simply mix 1/8 of syrup with 7/8 of cold sparkly water, add some mint leaves, and enjoy. Of course, you can also add it to a glass of prosecco or sparkling wine.

Mix it with water or add it to sparkling wine

Ingredients

  • 20-30 umbels of the European (black) elderberry tree (see picture)
  • 1 unwaxed, untreated lemon (so the peel should not have been treated with insecticides)
  • 25 g citric acid (look for it in the baking aisle)
  • 1½ kg sugar
  • 1½ water

How to Make It

  • On your next walk through the neighborhood, pick 20-30 elderflower umbels. They should be in full bloom! Make sure not to crush them or shake them too much.
  • Back at home, cut the umbels into smaller pieces and clean them carefully. The bigger and thicker stalks can make the syrup taste bitter. Also cut off any unopened blossoms. Pick off any bugs and spiders as well.
  • I would be careful about simply rinsing the umbels off, though, because then you also wash off the yellow powder inside the blossoms which give the syrup its taste!
  • Once you are done, put the elderflower blossoms into a big pot or bowl (you need to be able to close it with a lid later).
  • Wash the lemon and cut it into slices. Add the slices to the bowl.
  • Pour the citric acid on top.
  • Take another big pot and heat up the water. Add the sugar to it and bring it all to a boil.
  • Pour the sugar water over the elderflower blossoms, the lemon slices, and the citric acid and let it cool down a bit before covering it all with the lid.
  • Let the mixture rest in a dark and cool place for 4-5 days.
  • Pour the mixture through a strainer and/or a fine cloth into a pot.
  • Heat the liquid up and bring it to a boil. Then fill it into clean bottles and close tightly.
As long as you store it somewhere dark and cool, the syrup should be good for up to 21 months

Posted on by Annika

Maruccia Cocktail

A few months ago, my husband and I went to a cute little Spanish tapas restaurant and, by pure chance, came across a new kind of liquor. The Maruccia Elixir is a delicious liquor made by a German who has his own vineyard on the island of Mallorca and now cultivates and produces his own wines and liquors. For obvious reasons (my husband is Spanish and I am German), the man’s story resonated with us and we took a bottle of his Maruccia Elixir home with us.

The liquor has a very smooth and fruity taste, especially of oranges. You can drink it pure, but our favorite cocktail by far is the one I share below.

(Unpaid for and unsolicited advertisement because of brand mention.)

Ingredients

  • 40 ml of Maruccia Elxir
  • 200 ml of tonic water
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (adjust to your own liking)
  • ice cubes

This is a great summer drink when you want to ring in a sunny weekend and treat yourself!

The Maruccia cocktail with lemon juice and tonic water.

Have you come across this cocktail before? Let me know in the comments below or on Instagram and Twitter and share your favorite cocktail with me.