Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Nectar Of The Foodies

One of the most refreshing drinks is nectar.It;s a variation of fruit ade and a nice change of pace.Nectar is also great as the base of some cocktails and fizzy drinks.it can also be used in recipes too for a fresh spin.

What is nectar? Many people confuse it with juice which is the pressed liquid from any fruit and then sweetened. Nectar is more or less the undiluted , untreated juice (although the definition does vary ) that contains some pulp or puree.In the US nectar can have as much as 100 per cent fruit juice and as little as 1 per cent with the supplements of sugar and corn syrup thickening it. Read the bottle or box before you buy and always pick the one with the best nutritional value. There are several different brands to choose  from. Goya is one of the best because the company has many different flavors from sugar cane to banana to guava and papaya. There is also the all natural brand Bionaturae, made with all organic fruit and naturally sweetened from apples from Piemonte Italy( a bonus in my book). They have more traditional flavors such as apricot and peach along with sour cherry and wild berry. Even grocery stores such as Stop & Shop have a really good peach nectar that is tasty and light without any cloying sweetness.

Most people will ask what can be done with nectars. They make excellent bases for homemade sodas. or sparklers. Add as much or as little nectar as you want and then fill  with seltzer or club soda. Peach nectar can be blended with champagne to make Bellinis , those oh so delicious brunch  cocktails. Mix it with cider to create a Baby Bellini.  Many cocktails can be created using guava and mango nectar too. Iced teas can also benefit  from a teaspoon or two of them and  it's a healthier way of creating a refreshing summer cooler. Nectars can also be frozen to create a fruiter popsicle as well and they can also be added to smoothies too  to give them a dash of excitement. Surprisingly enough you can also add any flavor of it to plain gelatin to make a more natural tasting version of Jello. Some muffin and cobbler recipes call for nectar as well to give it that boost of more flavor.

Try nectar and see why many love it .It is refreshing and versatile, being made into delicious drinks and treats. It's the perfect drink, the drink of the gods and goddesses as well as of foodies.

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