In the past few weeks I’ve been tasked with using Superberries Aronia Berry Concentrate in a variety of interesting drink recipes. This challenge appealed to my culinary background as well as my love of food and fitness and my proclivity to experiment in the kitchen.
The simplest way in which to utilize Aronia Concentrate is to measure out a tablespoon and a half and mix it in with 8 oz. of water. While this is an excellent idea and affords a boost in antioxidants, I went a bit further by adding a twist of Meyer lemon to the mix, a teaspoon of raw orange blossom honey and a hint of Ceylon cinnamon. Upon tasting the mix, I was impressed to find the flavors mingled quite well together with none overwhelming the other. Additional experimentation with nutmeg, cardamom and ginger in place of cinnamon found the same delicious taste results with a flavorful twist giving an antioxidant boost to my morning routine.
Next, I began experimenting with a variety of low sugar fruit juices from apple to cranberry to orange. I also mixed in a handful of chia seeds with the various beverages to boost the fiber content and give the drinks an interesting texture. All drinks were delicious in their own right, but one of the tastiest and most surprising concoctions I’ve come up with is a Savory Spiced Tomato Juice Cocktail.
The tomato juice cocktail or Aroniaberry Antioxidant Cocktail contains 8 oz of tomato juice, a dash of Tobasco, a hint of curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cilantro, a twist of lemon, cracked black pepper and a tablespoon of Aronia Concentrate. The taste was unbelievably delicious with hints of smokiness from the cumin and curry. The zest of the spices mixed well with the Aronia Concentrate and the cocktail was packed with a combination of antioxidant power. I’ve since experimented with ground kale to add a bit of body to the cocktail and even went half and half with tomato and carrot juice. Each variation had its own unique flavor and its own delicious level of taste.
Finally, I decided to add a splash of Aronia Concentrate to my “adult” beverages such as coffee, tea and wine. The Aronia Concentrate darkened the coffee, adding a hint of fruitiness to the beverage and giving an added boost of antioxidants to my morning Joe. It was the same with the green tea, only the flavors seemed to complement each other more so than they did in the coffee. Adding the Concentrate to the Zinfandel, Moscato and Riesling added a vibrant, rich color to the wines and made for an interesting conversation piece. The Aronia Concentrate gave a fruitier complexion to the wine, enhancing and bringing bolder flavor to each making it a perfect addition to any Holiday party.
All in all, it’s been enlightening and interesting experimenting with Superberries Aronia Concentrate over the course of the past few weeks. It never ceases to amaze how versatile this product is and how well Aronia fits with nearly any food or drink item. In the next few weeks the recipes for the above and more will be forthcoming. In the meantime “eat purple”.
