Lemonades, sodas & shrubs

Homemade lemonades, sparkling sodas, shrubs and switchels, without sealed fermentation.

• Aam Panna (Green Mango Cooler)Aam panna cooks raw green mangoes into a tangy concentrate with sugar, roasted cumin, black salt and mint. Dilute with cold water for summer.
• Agua de Tamarindo (Tamarind Water)Agua de tamarindo made from whole sweet-sour tamarind pods: peel, simmer, soak, strain and sweeten. A tangy, brown Mexican agua fresca.
• Arnold Palmer (Half Iced Tea, Half Lemonade)Arnold Palmer mixed from fresh-brewed black iced tea and homemade lemonade. The usual ratios, how to brew tea that stays clear, and fixes.
• Ayran (Turkish Salted Yogurt Drink)Ayran is a frothy Turkish drink of yogurt, cold water and salt. Simple ratios, how to get a thick foam head, and which yogurt to use.
• Berry Shrub (Cold Process)Make a mixed-berry drinking vinegar with no stove: macerate berries in sugar, strain, add vinegar. The 1:1:1 ratio, timing and serving ratios.
• Brazilian Lemonade (Limonada Suíça)Creamy Brazilian lemonade blended from whole limes and sweetened condensed milk. How to pulse, strain fast and keep the pith bitterness out.
• Chicha Morada (Peruvian Purple Corn Drink)Chicha morada simmers dried purple corn with pineapple peel, apple and spices into a deep-violet Peruvian drink, finished with lime and fruit.
• Dirty Soda RecipeUtah-style dirty soda: cola or spiced pepper soda with coconut syrup, a splash of cream and lime over pebble ice. The build and ratios.
• Drive-In Style Cherry LimeadeA drive-in style cherry limeade with lemon-lime soda, fresh lime wedges and cherry syrup over crushed ice. Ratios, swaps and a homemade cherry syrup.
• Fresh Strawberry LemonadeStrawberry lemonade made with a strained fresh berry purée for real fruit flavor and a clean rosy color. Ratios, straining and ripeness tips.
• Frosted LemonadeFrosted lemonade blends tart lemonade with vanilla ice cream into a thick, sippable shake. Ratios for a drinkable texture and how to avoid curdling.
• Fruit-Infused WaterA pitcher of water steeped with strawberries, lemon, cucumber and mint. Ratios, how long to infuse, when citrus turns bitter and how long it keeps.
• Homemade Cola SyrupA citrus-and-spice cola syrup with a dark caramel base and a citric tang. Step-by-step caramel, spice ratios, soda mixing and fixes.
• Homemade Cream SodaClassic vanilla cream soda from a brown-sugar vanilla bean syrup and soda water. Syrup method, the glass ratio and how to keep it.
• Homemade Orange SodaFresh orange soda from zest rubbed with sugar, fresh-squeezed juice and soda water. A no-cook base, glass ratios, swaps and how long it keeps.
• Homemade Root Beer SyrupSimmer sarsaparilla, licorice root, warm spices and molasses into a root beer syrup, then mix it with soda water. Specs, sourcing and fixes.
• Italian Soda RecipeBuild a café-style Italian soda with fruit syrup, soda water and an optional cream float. Glass order, syrup ratios and how to stop curdling.
• Lavender LemonadeFloral lavender lemonade made with a short-steeped culinary lavender syrup so it tastes of flowers, not soap. Steep times, ratios and fixes.
• Limonada de Coco (Colombian Coconut Limeade)Colombian limonada de coco blends fresh lime, cream of coconut and ice into a frothy, creamy limeade. Exact amounts and which coconut product to buy.
• Matcha LemonadeLayered matcha lemonade: bright lemonade topped with whisked green tea for a two-tone glass. Water temperature, sifting and layering explained.
• Mexican Rice HorchataMexican horchata from long-grain rice and a cinnamon stick, soaked overnight, blended and strained until silky. Exact ratios and straining method.
• New York Egg CreamThe New York egg cream: chocolate syrup, cold milk and seltzer, stirred to a foamy head. No egg, no cream; the right order and ratios.
• Nimbu Pani (Indian Spiced Lemonade)Nimbu pani is Indian lemonade seasoned with black salt and roasted cumin: sweet, sour and savory at once. Spice ratios, mint and fizzy soda version.
• Old-Fashioned Homemade LemonadeClassic lemonade from fresh lemons using a 1:1:4 juice, syrup and water ratio. Learn how to juice, sweeten and adjust a pitcher to your taste.
• Pineapple Ginger Shrub (Hot Process)A cooked pineapple and ginger shrub you can drink the same day. Simmer, steep, strain and add vinegar, with ratios for soda and serving ideas.
• Quick Homemade Ginger AleSpicy ginger ale in under an hour from a fresh ginger syrup and soda water. Syrup ratio, how hot to make it, and the glass build.
• Rose Sharbat with Basil SeedsRose sharbat with homemade rose syrup, soaked sweet basil seeds and chilled water or milk. Make the syrup, soak the seeds and build the glass.
• Sekanjabin (Persian Mint Vinegar Drink)Sekanjabin is a Persian sweet-sour syrup of sugar, vinegar and fresh mint. Make the syrup, then serve it with water, grated cucumber and ice.
• Soda-Fountain Lime RickeyThe soda-fountain lime rickey: fresh lime, a little syrup and lots of soda water, sharp and barely sweet. Build, ratios and raspberry option.
• Switchel (Haymaker's Punch)Switchel is a tart farmhouse drink of cider vinegar, fresh ginger and maple syrup. Balanced ratios, a cold ginger steep, swaps and fixes.
• Tepache RecipeFerment pineapple rinds and piloncillo into lightly fizzy tepache in an open jar. Timing by temperature, signs it is ready and safe storage.
• Watermelon Agua FrescaLight watermelon agua fresca blended from ripe melon, water, lime and a little sugar. Ratios by melon sweetness, straining and serving tips.

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