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June 27, 2007
Ode to Seltzer Water
Well, it's not really an ode. I don't know precisely how to write an ode. Is there a specific format, or does one just extoll the virtues of the beloved in flowery language?
Seltzer water is one of my favorite things. The waitstaff at the place where we stay in Scranton has started bringing us seltzer water as soon as we sit down, with a lime. It looks so fancy in its pretty glass with a lime and a stirring stick. Why they put a stirring stick in it is beyond me, and since it's unnecessary plastic I should probably tell them to dispense with the stirring stick. Perhaps it's a statement on the war between stirring sticks and spoons. But anyhow, it's so yummy. And I much prefer seltzer water fresh out of the squirt machine that they have in restaurants to any bottled mineral water. It's been hot, and I seem to drink about four glasses of seltzer water at a sitting in these warm days.
I first discovered seltzer water in college, when my roommate Samantha used to buy Vintage seltzer in the bright blue cans. We'd wake up in the middle of the night and open a fresh seltzer. Of course, you have to drink the whole can at once because you can't drink flat seltzer unless you're dying of dehydration on a desert island (note that I finally learned the difference between desert and dessert! It was the polar bear story that did it.) Samantha is a seltzer purist, and will drink only the plain, unflavored stuff, but I like the lightly fruit flavored stuff you can buy at the grocery store in 1 liter bottles. Peach, orange, raspberry with lime, lemon lime, wild cherry, you get the idea. It doesn't have any sugar, calories, or even any artificial sweetener (not that that would be a problem, as long as it was the right sweetener.)
You can make a lot of fun things with seltzer water. One of my favorites is my CR-sangria, which has a berry flavored seltzer, a shot of unsweetened (not "no sugar added," truly unsweetened, too tart to drink straight) pure cranberry juice, two oz of red wine, and a tiny dot of sucralose or Splenda. (This is also good if you use diet Cherry 7-Up or diet Cranberry Ginger Ale, a beverage that in our house goes by just "diet Cranberry," as though we were on a first name basis with it or something.)
I am fairly sure that there was a dash of seltzer water in my gazpacho at Cresheim Cottage Cafe a few days ago. It had just a little carbonated pop, very interesting. I'll add it to my host of gazpacho recipes.
I've also been thinking lately that there's a way to incorporate the light flavor and kick of a fruit seltzer into a fresh berry dessert. I love desserts that involve berries or other fruit marinated in a sweet wine, even a sweet wine with a tart vinegar like balsamic. Just a tiny dash of seltzer might add a really fun spark to that dessert. Someday when I am actually home and have time to cook again I will try something.
Posted by april at June 27, 2007 6:05 AM
Comments
Well, if you wanna get technical, an Ode is generally defined as "a rhymed poem of irregular meter that praises its subject. The English ode consists of an undefined number of 10-line stanzas." IAE, you've no doubt once again provided inspiration: a pitcher of your CR Sangria will no doubt grace the decks & patios of more than a few of us one hot summer afternoon very soon (possibly served with Elizabeth's Afternoon-in-Majorca Mango Guacamole!) :-)
Posted by: Judith at June 27, 2007 9:32 AM
Not a fresh berry dessert as such, but if you make gelatine/agar/whatever with frozen berries (so it sets quickly) and seltzer, you can preserve the bubbles. Also works with champagne.
Posted by: Brooke at June 27, 2007 9:49 AM
I had heard that carbonated beverages negatively affect bone density. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Posted by: Jen at June 27, 2007 11:50 AM
I ALWAYS drizzle a little seltzer along with lemon on a fruit salad right before I serve it. It adds just the right kick as you say. Also, a bottle of Perrier goes into the Christmas Wassail just before serving.
In our house we're also on a first name basis: Fizzy or straight when referring to water. My hubby is usually concocting some weird cooling drink using the seltzer and the various juices (perhaps some wine for an evening kick) we have. Pretty funny what he comes up with. Big fan here too..also a purist..only plain will do.
;D
Posted by: Deborah at June 27, 2007 1:13 PM
Yikes. If this diary doesn't sound like someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Scary!
Posted by: Judy at June 27, 2007 2:28 PM
Yeah, April, didn't you see the glory shots Seung-Hui Cho took of himself posing with his lime seltzer and his Glock??? I'm worried, like, seriously.
Posted by: allswellinhell at June 27, 2007 9:55 PM
I was wondering about the bone density thing too, something about the carbonation, anybody know about this. Aren't we looking at ingesting fun stuff that is good for us over the long haul?
Posted by: Margo at June 28, 2007 8:48 AM
Re: bone density: I have answered this question before. Please read the post I link earlier in this entry where I said "Not that that would be a problem." You'll find your answer there.
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Posted by: april at June 28, 2007 9:30 AM