Have you had an Italian Soda?
The first time I tried one was years ago at an Italian restaurant. I don't often order soda when we go out but my husband convinced me that I would love it, and he was right. It was so tasty and refreshing that I found my mouth watering at the thought of them for months after.
A few years later we were at another Italian restaurant, and when I saw Italian Sodas on the menu I knew I had to have another one. However, something wasn't the same. I don't know what was wrong with it, but it tasted bitter and plain, and not one bit refreshing... not at all like I had remembered. That experience soured me on the whole idea of Italian Soda for a long time.
Fast forward a few more years, to just a couple of months ago, and my husband and I tried another Italian Restaurant. With hesitation I ordered an Italian Soda, hoping that it would be like my first experience and not like the second. What a relief it was to take that first sweet sip and have the refreshment I remembered,
and taste that I loved fill my senses!
The sad part was that my food there wasn't very good. In fact, the only thing I enjoyed about my meal was the Italian Soda... and as tempting as it is to go there JUST for the Italian Soda, it's not very practical. So, I left wondering if I'd be able to find a way to enjoy this treat again.
As usual, that's where Pinterest came in! I started seeing pin for Italian Soda, so I pinned several. Then, when Father's Day came around, and the kids and I were planning an Italian feast for my husband, I knew it was the perfect time to try out one or two of the recipes and see if the homemade version would be as delicious as what I had at those two restaurants.
Can I just say... I was not disappointed!! Heaven in my mouth!
And I wasn't the only one who loved them. My kids were a little skeptical when they saw the club soda and the cream, but one sip and they were hooked too!
And the best things are that they are easy to make, cheaper than ordering them at a restaurant, and we can have them at home any time we want! You should try it too!
Here's all you need to make delicious Italian Sodas:
*Club Soda
*Cream (half and half)
*Syrup
1 cup berries (fresh, or frozen - I used frozen mixed berries)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Here's all you need to do:
Make the syrup: Boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved. Add berries and stir well. Bring mixture back to a boil for about ten minutes. Cover and simmer for ten minutes more. When berries are nice and mushy smash them up as much as possible then drain them over a bowl. Keep the juice (syrup), and discard the berries (or let your kids eat them like mine wanted to!). Let the mixture cool in the fridge until ready to use.
When ready to serve, pour 1/4 cup of syrup into a cup with ice. Add about 1/2 a cup of club soda, and finish with 1/4 cup of cream on top. (You can adjust the amounts of club soda and cream to your liking). Pop in a straw, and enjoy your refreshing drink!
The syrup will stay good in the fridge for a few days.
This recipe makes four servings... of course I doubled ours, and it still wasn't enough. I think I could have consumed one whole batch myself!
No comments:
Post a Comment