Lemon-Lime Italian Soda

Italian soda is a popular summertime offering at local coffee bars, and it would be a perfect iced beverage for a hot summer day picnic! Here is how to make this refreshing drink with only a few simple ingredients. 


Italian Soda Recipe

• 32 ounce Ball canning jar or similar serving container
• 1 large lemon sliced
• 1 large lime sliced
• 4 ounces Simple Sugar or adjust based on personal preference (see recipe below)
• Italian sparkling water

Squeeze lemons and limes into jar. 
Add simple sugar. 
Add ice, fill to top with Italian Soda and gentle stir. Enjoy!

Simple Sugar
1 cup pure cane sugar
1 cup water
Heat mixture in microwave until sugar is dissolved.

This grilled chicken recipe would also be great for a summer picnic!

Vanilla Flavored Syrup

Make your own vanilla flavored syrup and enjoy that coffee shop flavor at home!

Starting with your favorite coffee or cocoa beverage, add this delicious vanilla flavored syrup (and cream, if you prefer) to achieve a delicious “coffee shop” beverage at home.  This flavored simple syrup recipe is also perfect for sweetening iced coffees and cocoas.

Before you get started, you will need to find a bottle to put the flavored syrup in.  A few options are to use an olive-oil, wine or liquor bottle, or stop by your neighborhood coffee shop and ask if they will save you one of their flavored syrup bottles.  The bottle you choose will need to be cleaned and sanitized.  A good wash and dry in the dishwasher should do the trick.  You will also want a sufficient lid, pourer or pump.  I used an old Torani syrup bottle and a Torani pump that I purchased from World Market.  This way I can measure the same as they do in my local coffee shop.

Vanilla Flavored Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups of granulated sugar

2 cups of water

½ tsp of sea salt

3 tsps pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Over medium-high heat, bring the first three ingredients to a slight boil then reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minute. Stir the syrup often until all of the sugar is completely dissolved. 

Remove from heat and add the vanilla, then stir.

Allow vanilla syrup to cool to room temperature and then pour into a sanitized bottle, using a funnel, if needed.  Add the pump and you are ready to go!

Hints:

Both granulated cane sugar and granulated raw Turbinado sugar will work well with the syrup; they both are very flavorsome.  It is simply a matter of personal taste as to which one you choose to use.  The raw Turbinado sugar may result in slightly stickier syrup and may tend to clog the pump a bit more than the pure cane sugar.

Do not allow syrup to come to a hard boil or be allowed to cook too long; the sugar may begin to crystallize.

Using a Torani syrup pump or shot glass the measurements are as follows (adjust to personal taste):

Measuring/Dosing:

12 beverage oz = 3 pumps or ~ ¾ ounce of syrup

16 beverage oz = 4 pumps or ~ 1 ounce of syrup

20 beverage oz = 5 pumps or ~ 1 ½ ounce of syrup

I have successfully stored the vanilla flavored syrup on my counter for up to two weeks; however, if exposed to warmer temperatures, or if not used within two weeks (unlikely J), you may want to keep the syrup refrigerated.

Once you have perfected your vanilla syrup, go ahead and experiment with some other flavors; I plan to!

Now you can impress your friends by being a barista at your next dinner party; serving coffee or cocoa flavored with your own home-made vanilla flavored syrup! 

I would be interested to learn about other flavors readers have added to their simple syrups.  Please feel free to share these flavoring recipes below in the comments sections.

Crio Cocoa Chicken Rub

Need a delicious dry rub for your meal tonight?  Here is an easy and delicious rub that is perfect for cooking on the grill or in a pan.  In this recipe I grilled chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet.  This is a perfect way to reuse Crio Brü grounds. 

Crio Cocoa Brü Rub

(Serving size - 6)

Mix together the following ingredients: 

• 1tbs Crio Brü cocoa grounds (if using slightly moist grounds use heaping tbls, if dry, use level tbls)
• 1 tlbs sugar in the raw
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper

Rub mixture on all sides of chicken, allowing to sit for about 15 minutes before cooking or up to 24 hours ahead of time for a more intense flavor.

Brown chicken on both sides in cast iron skillet using a small amount of oil (I used sunflower oil, but olive oil or canola oil would be fine).  Once meat is browned, place entire cast iron skillet in pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for an additional 15 minutes.

Notice that I did not add any salt to the rub.  Salt has a tendency to draw out moisture from the meat while it cooks, so I chose to sprinkle my dish with salt after cooking and before serving.

Try this dry rub recipe as is, adjust it to your own taste, or make it personal by adding your own favorite herb or spice! This rub is also great for pork or beef steaks. Enjoy!

Please feel free to add feedback or share your favorite dry recipe rub!

(Crio Brü is 100% pure minimally processed cocoa, may substitute powdered cocoa for Crio Brü cocoa)


To purchase Crio Bru brewing cocoa check out the locations page at the Criobru.com website, if not available in your area, you can order on-line.

How to use a Bodum Travel French Press Coffee Maker

No need to wait, take your brewed cocoa to go!
Automatic coffee makers may be convenient, but nothing is better than a Crio Brü brewing cocoa made in a French press.  Brewing cocoa in a French press improves the flavor intensity of your drink since the grounds are allowed to soak in hot water and the essential oils are not filtered out by a paper filter.  The result is a richly delicious, tasty cup of cocoa.

The drawback is that brewing cocoa in a French Press requires 8 to 10 minutes of brew time.  If you are on the go and don’t have time to wait, the Bodum travel French press is the answer.  Bodum has created a French press that doubles as a cup.  The double wall design allows the cocoa to stay warm for a long time.  The lid has been specially designed to easily flip open and tightly close again.  It is a handy cup that fits safely into most car cups holders.

Simple Instructions:

1.     After removing the cap and plunger, add 5 Tblsp of Crio Brü grounds into the travel press.

2.     Pour 12 oz of boiling water into the travel press and stir.

3.     If you plan to add cream, sugar or flavor, I recommend adding it at this point and before stirring.

4.     Place plunger lid on top of cup to help maintain temperature, but do not press plunger down. Wait at least 8 minutes to ensure full flavor extraction.

5.     With the lid screwed on and the spout opened, slowly and gently press the plunger filter until the filter is pressed into the grounds at the bottom of the cup. Be careful not to press too fast or too hard; hot water may splash out or the plunger may separate from the filter.

6.     Enjoy your healthy cocoa!

To clean the cup, carefully pull plunger out and rinse with hot water.  Tap cup to remove grounds and either hand wash or place in dishwasher.

I particularly like cocoa in the travel French press because cocoa does not have a tendency to bitter when left in contact with the grounds, it just gets richer. The quality of coffee or tea brewed in a travel French Press will diminish the longer the contact with the grounds or tea leaves.

So if you love a brewed cocoa prepared in a French press but find you don’t have time to wait for it to brew or maybe you want to brew your Crio Brü  at work, the Bodum travel French press is for you.  

Which Crio Brü  brewed cocoa do you think would taste best in the travel French press?