The Pause that Refreshes

By  Sonia R. Martinez

Living in a tropical climate where fruit is abundant year-round and temperatures usually do not vary more than 5 or 10 degrees either side of 75°F, it is very refreshing to turn to “aguas frescas; fruit waters and ades” made with tropical fruit as the base.

Start with a fruit juice of your choice, add a little water and sugar, if needed, fill a tall glass with ice and pour the mixture into it—Simple!

Another way is to make a simple syrup, using equal parts water and sugar, boil until sugar is dissolved, cool and store in refrigerator. Mix any amount of syrup desired with fresh fruit juices in tall glasses filled with ice.

The use of sugar depends on how sweet the fruit is. You might not need any sweetener with some juices, or use a scant amount of the syrup and add more water. For a zippier taste, add ginger ale to the mix.

Try these ono (delicious) combinations:

• Citrus juices: orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, grapefruit; mix with syrup; pour into ice filled glasses.
• Watermelon: peel and cube, freeze in plastic bag. Process the frozen watermelon cubes in blender with syrup; blend until slushy. Pour in glasses, garnish with mint sprig.
• Papaya: Peel and seed; cut fruit in chunks and place in blender with syrup and water, if needed. You might have to strain it if too pulpy. Serve over ice.
• Guava: No need to peel; wash, cut fruit into small chunks; place in blender with water and syrup. Strain and serve over ice.
• Mango: Peel, cut into pieces; place in blender with syrup and extra water, if needed. Serve over ice.
• Sugarcane juice: dilute in a little bit of water if too sweet; add a squirt of lime juice and serve with ice.
• Mixed Tropical Fruit: orange, lime and pineapple juices; add syrup and pour into a glass of crushed ice.
• Ginger–Lime: Slice ginger into thin slices (no need to peel), place in a pot of water and boil for 10 minutes. Let it sit and cool. Pour into a pitcher, add syrup and the juice of a large lime. Servein glass with crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig. The boiled ginger slices can be used several times; just store in a small capped container in the refrigerator until ready to use again.

Watermelon Breeze

3 C watermelon, cubed and frozen
1 C coconut water
Squeeze of fresh lime
Simple syrup, to taste
Mint sprig, for garnish

Place all ingredients except mint sprig in blender and process until slushy. Serve in tall glasses with mint sprig.
Yield: 2 tall glasses

Pineapple Aqua Fresca

This is one of our favorites. It is the easiest and most delicious summer cooler, ever. The twist is that you get to eat the pineapple and make “juice” too!

1 medium sized ripe pineapple
8 C water (1/2 gallon)
1/4 C sugar
Mint sprig

Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and reserve. Peel the rest of the pineapple, leaving a bit of pulp attached, and reserve. Cut the pineapple in chunks or in long slices from top to bottom, cutting off the core and reserve.

Use the fresh fruit any way you would like. Place the peel, bottom, and core in a non-reactive pot, add the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Cool and strain into a pitcher, squeezing as much liquid as possible from the peel pieces and the core. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.

Serve over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Yield: 4 tall glasses

Note: Plant the top of the pineapple in the garden and compost the rest of the peel.