Stay Luxurious And Cool With These Infused Water Recipes

Infused water is also one of the best, easiest ways to elevate a get-together. Pour your guests crystal-clear water from an elegant pitcher bobbing with fruit and herbs. They’ll feel utterly spoiled.

Infused water is simple to make. Use that bounty of veggies, fruits, and herbs you’ve harvested from your personal garden in an infused water creation. Or, make infused water the reason you start a garden! Throw a favorite veggie, fruit, and/or herb combo into your pitcher of water. Allow a couple of hours for the water to breathe in all those luscious flavors and nutrients. Then drink up! Infused water is a great way to experiment and even to use as a creative outlet. Try new flavors, different sitting times, and different amounts of fruit in your recipes. If you want to learn more about herbs, drinking herb-infused water is another way to understand how herbs can influence flavor.

It’s really that simple to make, so go for it & read our flavor recommendations at the bottom of the article. For the Infused Water connoisseur, here are some tips on getting the BEST results:

Tips For Making Infused Water

• Ensure the quality of your ingredients. Frozen won’t be as flavorful as fresh.
• Water preferences
  • Of course, the best-tasting infused water will have the best-tasting water as a base. Filtered, spring water, etc. – whatever that looks like for you.
  • Steep your fruits either in the fridge or at room temperature. Hot water can actually slightly cook your ingredients, which can eat away enzymes.
• Soak time
  • The longer you let it sit, the stronger your flavor.
  • Refrigerated water will take longer to infuse than room temperature water.
• Vessels
  • Step up your experience staycation-style by honoring the little details in your environment. 
  • Every detail matters! If you have trouble drinking enough water, getting a container that brings you joy to use can be encouraging.

Prep Tips

from AllRecipes.com

• Softer fruits like citrus and strawberries can be sliced thick, thin, halved, or quartered. Harder fruits like apples should be sliced very thinly because they take longer to release flavors.
• Crush fibrous ginger root, rosemary, and lemongrass with a muddler or wooden spoon; tear or crush leafy herbs like mint, basil, and cilantro to release their oils.
• Loose herbs and flowers — lavender, rose petals, dried hibiscus — can be corralled in a tea infuser or cheesecloth.
• Infuse water at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. After that, put it in the fridge to prevent bacterial growth.
• Cucumbers, citrus fruits, melons, and mint flavor water almost immediately. Apples, cinnamon, fresh ginger root, and rosemary need an overnight soak in the fridge.
• Melons and sliced strawberries start looking waterlogged after a few hours; citrus and whole berries look pretty good even after hours in the fridge.
• After 4 hours, citrus rinds can make water taste bitter. To make a big jug of infused water for a party, soak citrus for up to 4 hours, remove it, and add fresh slices for looks. (And keep that water icy cold for food safety.)
• If you don’t drink the water within 24 hours, strain out the solids and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• To keep sipping all day long, refill your infused water container when it’s half full. It will be weaker than your first drink, but still flavorful.

Remember: The fruits/veggies in your water will be less flavorful if you decide to eat them. The water is where the flavor’s at now!

Flavor Recommendations For Luxurious, Infused Water

A rule of thumb is to try out your favorite go-to flavors. Or, choose an ingredient to be the centerpiece of your desired flavor, and then pick one or more accent flavors. Experiment with combinations to learn more about what you like. Here are some recipes to start with:

• Sliced pineapple (or basically any fruit) and fresh basil leaves
• Fresh lavender and lemon slices
• Sliced strawberries and jalapenos
• Sliced pear and sliced fresh fennel

Favorite Sweet Flavors

If you want sweet, combine all your favorite super sweet fruit, no shame! Some of the sweetest fruits are watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, and grapes. Or try the following recipes:

• Fresh or frozen grapes (frozen grapes work great as ice that won’t water down your beverage) and orange slices
• Sliced strawberry and pineapple
• Strawberry, watermelon, and honeydew melon pieces
• Sliced pear or apple, peeled and sliced fresh ginger root, raw cinnamon sticks, and a raw vanilla bean. Add plum slices for that additional nuance of flavor.
• Rainbow citrus slices. Collect as many citrus colors as you desire and fill your pitcher with a sweet rainbow. Grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges, deep Navel oranges, bright yellow Valencia, oh the possibilities. 

Best Mild Flavors

With these flavors, you could switch out any herbs, or add in an herb to experiment.

• Sliced cucumber, lemon, and celery
• Grapefruit slices and fresh rosemary sprigs
• Sliced orange and star anise
• Sliced lemon, lime, and fresh mint leaves