You Drink What????

My clients know that I have a soft spot for apple cider vinegar. I have them add it to their morning water to alkalize their bodies and control cravings, I use it as a final rinse on my hair to create shine, I dilute it for use as a facial toner, I mix it with water and soap as a general purpose house cleaner and on and on. So it should come as no surprise that I also experiment with it in recipes—like this gingery, berry-infused, vinegar-based old-fashioned thirst quencher called a switchel. This recipe comes from my upcoming berry book. Enjoy!

Ginger Berry Switchel

Makes 4 servings

A switchel is an old-fashioned vinegar-based drink used to quench the thirst. It reminds me a bit of the commercially made kombucha drinks so popular today.

1 5″-piece fresh ginger (about 6 ounces)

½ cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup berries of your choice (I particularly like fresh currants, raspberries or blackberries best; blueberries don’t work as well as others)

4 cups sparkling or flat water

1. Pass ginger through a juicer (you should have between ¼ and ⅓ cup). Or, you can grate ginger on a box grater, gather up in a square of cheesecloth and squeeze shavings over a bowl to catch ginger juice (you’ll probably have less than a 1/3 cup, but that’s just fine).

2. Combine ginger juice, vinegar, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a large pitcher and stir until maple syrup is dissolved.

3. Add berries and muddle or leave whole.

4. Put in fridge until chilled

5. To serve, dilute with water and ladle switchel into ice-filled glasses.