Fruit-Infused Water

Before you start

Infused water is plain cold water that has borrowed aroma and a little color from fruit, vegetables and herbs. Nothing is sweetened or cooked, so the flavor stays light, and the only real tools are time and temperature. Soft fruit gives up flavor in an hour or two; firm fruit and whole herbs take longer, and citrus slices start to taste bitter once the white pith has soaked for half a day.

The key decisions are how much produce to use and how long to leave it in. Roughly 300 to 400 g of produce per 2 liters gives a clear, noticeable taste without tasting like juice. Infuse in the refrigerator rather than on the counter, slice the fruit to expose cut surfaces, and pull the citrus out after a few hours so the rest of the pitcher can keep going.

Ingredients

• 2 liters (8½ cups) cold filtered water
• 150 g (about 1 cup) strawberries — hulled and halved
• 1 medium lemon — scrubbed and cut into thin wheels
• ½ English cucumber — about 150 g, thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh mint
• 2 cups (about 300 g) ice cubes — for serving

Method

1. Wash the strawberries, lemon, cucumber and mint under cool running water, rubbing the lemon and cucumber skins with your hands. Pat the mint dry.
2. Halve the strawberries and slice the lemon and cucumber about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Thin slices give more cut surface, so flavor moves into the water faster.
3. Put the mint in the bottom of the pitcher and press it 3 or 4 times with a wooden spoon to bruise the leaves without shredding them.
4. Add the strawberries, lemon and cucumber, then pour in the cold water. Stir once, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Taste after 2 hours. If it is faint, leave it longer. Once it reaches 4 hours, lift out the lemon wheels so the pith does not make the water bitter.
6. Pour over ice to serve, holding back the fruit with a spoon or straining it. Top up the pitcher with fresh water once for a lighter second round, then discard the produce.

Tips for success

• Mash a few of the strawberries lightly before adding water. Broken berries color the water pink and give flavor within the first hour.
• Hard ingredients such as apple, ginger or whole cinnamon need longer. Slice them very thin or plan on an overnight infusion.
• Use a pitcher with a lid. Uncovered water absorbs refrigerator smells, which are surprisingly easy to taste in something this delicate.

Substitutions

Strawberries

Raspberries, blackberries or sliced peaches give similar results. Frozen berries work and release color faster as they thaw, but they turn mushy, so strain before serving.

Lemon

Lime or orange wheels follow the same rule: remove them after about 4 hours. Grapefruit turns bitter even sooner, so use only a few slices.

Mint

Basil pairs well with strawberry, and a sprig of rosemary goes well with citrus. Rosemary is strong; one small sprig is enough for 2 liters.

Variations

Watermelon and basil

Use 300 g cubed watermelon and 6 basil leaves, torn. Watermelon flavors the water quickly; start tasting after an hour.

Apple and cinnamon

Thinly slice 1 apple and add 1 cinnamon stick. Infuse overnight, as both are slow to give up flavor.

Troubleshooting

The water tastes bitter

Citrus pith or seeds soaked too long. Pull citrus out after about 4 hours, or peel it before slicing if you want an overnight infusion.

There is hardly any flavor

The produce was cut too thick or there was too little of it. Slice thinner, lightly crush soft fruit, and give it the full 2 hours cold.

The fruit looks slimy or the water smells sour

It has been sitting too long or got warm. Discard it and start fresh; infused water is meant to be finished within a day.

Storage

Keep the pitcher covered in the refrigerator and drink it within 24 hours, removing citrus after about 4 hours. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, since cut fruit is perishable. Discard the produce once you finish the water.

Safety notes

Wash all fruit, vegetables and herbs under running water before slicing, even items you will peel, because cutting can carry surface bacteria inside. Keep the infusion refrigerated.