BARB'S MUSICAL NOTES: REFRESHING DRINK RECIPES

Updated January 29, 2000


I love coffee. There is a stand at the Hanover Market that specializes in flavored coffees, dried fruit, trail mixes and crunchy snacks. My husband and I usually have an ample supply of the assorted coffee beans in our refigerator. Two coffee recipes follow. These recipes are from the Pan American Coffee Bureau.

BLACK FOREST COFFEE

6 ounces fresh brewed coffee
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
whipped cream
shaved chocolate or chocolate chips
maraschino cherry

Combine coffee, chocolate syrup and cherry juice; mix well. Top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a cherry.

MEXICALI COFFEE

8 ounces hot chocolate
6 ounces fresh brewed coffee
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

TOPPING

dash of cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon fine sugar
1/2 ounce grated chocolate
whipped cream

Combine first three ingredients together and divide between two mugs. Top the coffees with seasoned and sweetened whipped cream and grated coffee.


I also love tea of all kinds. Two of my favorites are peppermint and jasmine: peppermint for a nice "pick-me-up" in the morning and jasmine with honey for a relaxing "end-of-the-day" drink. The first tea recipe below would make any rabbit happy, since it makes use of clover blossoms.

CLOVER TEA

1/2 cup clover blossoms, fresh or dried
4 cups boiling water

Pour boiling water over clover blossoms in a teapot. Allow to steep for 5 minutes. Strain and serve.

SAIL AWAY TEA RECIPE

Serves 2

2-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek seeds
1 small dried hibiscus flower
1/ teaspoon powdered cardamom
1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon

Bring water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the fenugreek, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Place the cardamom, cinnamon and hibiscus into the teapot. Pour the fenugreek concoction over the herbs, cover the pot and steep 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey to taste. Serve hot, or chill and serve over ice.

The hibiscus flowers have a pleasant but sour taste that combines well with the sweet spices

SUN TEA

Place herbs or tea bags in a large glass jar, add an appropriate amount of water, cover tightly and place jar in a spot outdoors where it will receive 3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight. Test the tea after 3 hours and let it steep longer if you want a stronger flavor. When the tea is brewed to your liking, strain off the herbs and refrigerate the tea in a closed glass or container. Serve cold, with or without ice.
Remember that if you intend to serve tea iced, it needs to be brewed slightly stronger than if you were serving it hot, since melting ice dilutes the flavor in the glass.

MINT TEA HAWAIIAN

4 cups boiling water
6 tea bags
1/2 teaspoon mint flakes
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice
Pineapple spears

Pour boiling water over tea bags and mint flakes in heated teapot. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Strain; combine with sugar, lemon juice and pineapple juice; mix well. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh pineapple spears. Makes 1 quart.

TEA SWEETENERS

Honey generally wins the contest hands-down. Two particular herbs deserve special mention for their sweetening abilities: licorice is said to be 50 times sweeter than sugar and stevia is sweeter even than that. These two herbs can be used to provide sweetness, but use a light hand. The flavor of stevia can be cloying if too much is added.

Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea.-Henry Fielding


This sounds like a yummy good punch!

ORANGE CRANBERRY PUNCH

1 cup mild flavored honey
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups fresh orange juice, chilled
6 cups cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
1 can(12 ounce)pineapple juice, chilled
1 bottle(28 ounce)lemon-lime carbonated beveraged, chilled(optional)

Thoroughly combine honey and hot water until well blended. Add fruit juices and chill until ready to serve. Pour over block of ice in punch bowl. Add carbonated beverage, if desired. Garnish with orange and lemon slices. Makes about 24 punch cup servings.


Homepage
Southern PA & Northern MD Happenings
Links Page
Homespun Memories Page
More Memories
Barb's Updates
Shavings & Smatterings
Barb's Recipes
Flower Recipes
Spoutwood Faerie Festival
Herbal Happenings