Apple Chai

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2 quarts unsweetened apple juice (no sugar added)

meat of 2 shelled cardamom seeds, crushed into a powder in a mortar and pestal preferably by some very handsome, muscular, blond-haired, blue-eyed Swede, just come in from the field on a tractor (it's fine if he's a Norwegian)

¼ tsp each of the following:

powdered cinnamon

powdered Allspice

powdered ginger

powdered nutmeg

powdered cloves

scant amount of lemon pepper

½ TLBS Vanilla Extract

Heat apple juice over medium heat in large pot, stirring occasionally. Do not boil as this kills vitamin C. Add dry ingredients while stirring. Lastly, add Vanilla extract.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: This is a good beverage any time of year when it's a bit cool out, especially on a winter evening by the fireplace. Great with “Spicy Ginger Cookies”.

FOODNOTES: I discovered this drink quite by accident when I intended to make Chai Tea and did not have powdered tea, so I used apple juice instead and was rather pleased with the results. It was a rather cold and brooding day in early June in the year 2012. After having spent a contented winter in the tropics we returned to a typically unpredictable summer lead-in back north. The temperature sank to an all-time low with a penetrating dampness that was enough to make one feel like the frozen subject of a still-life painting. It was this warm, “spicy” drink that brought me back into the motion picture of real life on that unseasonably cold June day.

Citrus Fruit Drink

Serves at least 4 (more depending on thirst demand)

Juice of 6 juice oranges, 2 limes, and 2 lemons

3 C filtered or bottled water

Sugar (or Splenda) to taste

½ C boiling water

½ C sprigs fresh mint leaves

1 lime, cut into 4 thin circular wedges, cut half-way to center

Squeeze citrus fruit and pour into a large pitcher.

Dissolve sugar in ½ C boiling water. Stir until sugar is melted. Add a few ice cubes to cool sugar water before adding to citrus juice, as heat will kill vitamin C (or generously add some packets of Splenda to juice). Stir all ingredients in a large pitcher. Cover and chill. Serve over ice cubes. Garnish each glass with a few sprigs of mint leaves and a wedge of lime.

©Wilma Carolyn Johnson Short

NOTES: When we moved to our house we found an abundance of mint growing in our backyard. We began using it in ice tea and lemonade, and then hanging it to dry on the porch for winter tea. The fragrance lingered after we brought the dried mint inside, reminding us of our enjoyment of fresh mint added to many cold drinks on past hot summer days.

One summer day I found a small amount of lemonade in the fridge, not enough for a serving, so I added some orange juice and found some limes that I thought might be a good addition. The resulting drink has since accompanied many summer meals or has been a great thirst quencher in the middle of a hot summer day.

I haven't tried spiking it with a shot a Vodka, and as I've stated “all recipes have been tested”, so I am not in a position to advise anyone to try this. Neither have I added cold beer to this, which would create a type of Shanty. A Shanty is, as I understand it, half lemonade and half beer. It sounds like an unlikely combo and I cannot advocate trying a new type of Shanty, because I haven't tried this one out either. Rum added to the equation? I really don't know. All I can tell you is that if you try a glass of this Citrus Fruit Drink with vodka, and another time try it with beer, then the next time try it with rum and get drunk all three times, that will only prove that it's the Citrus Fruit Drink that caused you to get drunk.

A Covenant minister taught me how to make Shantys. They are made with one part lemonade and one part light beer, as opposed to something dark like a stout beer (like I'm a real expert on beer). We made these illegally at a certain campground in New Hampshire where prohibition is still alive and well. The minister and the campground shall forever remain unnamed, lest anyone find us out.