Juice

If you plan on making lemonade or a batch of cocktails that require fresh citrus juice, be sure to use citrus that is at room temperature. According to Food & Wine Cocktails 09, refrigerated citrus will yield up to a third less liquid than fruit at room temperature. To bring cold citrus to room temperature quickly, soak the fruit in really hot water for five minutes before squeezing. Ironically enough, when a recipe calls for citrus zest it's best to use the fruit right out of the fridge.

Do you normally store your lemons, limes, and oranges on the counter or in the fridge?

For a casual, sunny brunch consider setting up a drink buffet along side the food. This gives guests the freedom to make their own drinks and provides the hostess more time to mingle. At Ronda's bridal shower, our female friends can choose from three types of fresh squeezed citrus.

Place vodka, Champagne, and sparkling water beside the juice. If the girls want to sip a spiked beverage they can stir in the spirit that floats their fancy. Brewed coffee and hot tea are welcome additions. Don't have time to juice a million oranges? Use your favorite store bought juice to create the refreshment bar. For the easy recipe, read more

I had an embarrassing moment the other day when bartender Aaron Smith of 15 Romolo was teaching me how to make The Last Word. Apparently, the reason my citrus juicer is really hard to close has nothing to do with the juicer being faulty and everything to do with me using it incorrectly! All this time, I've been inserting lemons and limes upside down.

To properly use a handheld juicer and extract the most juice, you should always insert the citrus cut side down. As you squeeze the gadget closed, the citrus will turn inside out.

Now that you know the right way to use a juicer, tell me: anyone else make this mistake?

While I wasn't surprised to sip amazing wine at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, I was not expecting to find an extraordinary nonalcoholic sparkler among the mix. However, the lovely ladies from Sonoma Sparkler were there pouring the bubbly juices. I tasted three of the refreshing sparklers and was highly impressed with the fizzy texture and fresh-fruit flavor. The juice is slightly sweet, easy to drink, and incredibly fruity. They come in six flavors: apple, pear, peach, raspberry, blood orange, and lemonade. With its vibrant pink hue, my favorite was the raspberry. I plan to stock up on Sonoma Sparkler.

It's the perfect option for those who are pregnant or don't drink. Have you tasted this nonalcoholic libation? What did you think?

When you have a craving for a sweet, flavorful drink but don't want soda because it's made with refined sugar and chemicals, remember that juice is an option. The juice that you can find just about anywhere is Odwalla. They're fresh and come in a variety of choices so you can satisfy whatever taste you're craving. If you've ever wondered how all their beverages compare, check out this breakdown.

To see the rest, read more

I was originally introduced to the yumberry — officially known as yangmei or waxberries— while at the 2007 Winter Fancy Foods Show. The fruit looks a lot like a soft lychee; however, the inside is a solid fruit with a deep reddish hue, similar to a pomegranate. Naturally, since everyone is on the antioxidant train, a company has come out selling the juice of the yumberries. In China the Yumberry Juice company sells everything from syrup to sparkling juice, but in the US they're currently only offering several variations of juice. Recently I picked up a bottle of their Yumberry with the Blues mixture and gave it a try. To find out how it is, read more

We often think of juices as being healthy, but in reality, a big cup of juice can also be a big cup of calories. Because juices are super-concentrated and often have added sugar, they can be much higher in calories than their fruit counterparts. For instance, one large orange contains 86 calories, while an eight-ounce glass of OJ has 110 calories.

But I admit I love juice, and sometimes it just really hits the spot. So I've recently made the switch to carrot juice, initially because I noticed it was much lower in calories: Eight ounces of Odwalla carrot juice has just 70 calories. I've since grown to love the sweet but not too sweet flavor — now Odwalla's Carrot Orange Apple Juice blend tastes too sweet! And the nutritional benefits are hard to beat, so read more

Who knows where I can get a large batch of fresh concord grapes? I ask because I absolutely have to give this simple recipe for making your own grape juice a try. - Simply Recipes