Infused Water

I absolutely adore infused water. I think my first encounter with it might have been at Waterside Spa. I went for a pedicure and upon arrival I was greeted with a clear plastic cup filled with cucumber scented water. It was a revelation and I felt as though I couldn't get enough. Although I did cut myself off after two glasses because I was very pregnant and fearful that I might have to use the bathroom mid-treatment. Since then I have had that cucumber water at Waterside a few more times, but I've noticed they don't offer it as readily as before.

I've done my own infusions at home as well, in the summer, usually just in my own glass which is a pain because you have to wait for each cup to develop all the flavors every time you fill it. For some reason it never occurred to me that I could make batches of the stuff in pitchers to be kept in the refrigerator ready whenever I was. I have Kirstie Alley, of all people to thank for that brilliant thought. I was reading an article last summer (or maybe it was the summer before?) It was after she had lost all the weight from Jenny Craig, shortly after Valerie Bertinelli took her place as spokeswoman for the company. She was saying how she hated drinking water because it was so tasteless and the only way she could bring herself to do it was to make pitchers full of fruit infused water. (Bingo!). That day, the journalist noted that she poured from a pitcher filled with orange slices and cherries.

Orange slices and cherries were exotic to me, to put in water anyway. I usually opted for springs of mint and or lemon slices, but putting other out of the box type fruit in water sounded so luxurious. And of course it made much more sense to use a pitcher. Prodyne even makes a special pitcher specifically for infusing called "Fruit infusion pitcher". It has a special compartment that runs through it that you can put all your fruit/herbs in so that fruit matter doesn't pour out into your glass or clog the spout when you are pouring. Simple but ingenious.

I have placed my order, and my pitcher should be arriving in the next week. I couldn't wait for that though, so I am sitting with a glass full of water, 2 mint springs, 2 cucumber slices and 1 lemon slice. Ahhh, it's light, it's fresh, it's delicately scented, It's just wonderful. It's so much better than squeezing lemon juice into your drink. Lemon slices, not squeezed, impart a lovely delicate floral flavor married with the mint and cucumber. It's kind of like drinking a cocktail.;)

Some great combinations I've seen or read about include:

-sliced cucumber, sliced lemon, and mint sprigs
-cherries (maybe cut down the middle so the flavor gets into the water) and sliced oranges
-fresh lavender and rosemary
-raspberries and lime slices
-orange and lemon slices
-mint and blackberries
-strawberries and orange slices
-fresh lavender and orange slices
-basil, grapefruit and oranges

But you can really add anything your little heart desires.

If you are not interested in making your own water, but you like the idea, look up "metro mint water" It comes in plastic bottles and although they are much more pungent than making your own, they are really good. The company has different flavors such as cherry, spearmint, peppermint, orange, and my personal favorite, chocolate mint. Yes, chocolate mint water. You would have to try it. It's soooooo good.