The other day I offered homemade mango and guava drinks (made separately) to some teenagers visiting my home. They took a sip of each and politely refused the rest saying that they did not like it. I asked what about the drinks they did not like. All three of them, with some hesitation, responded that the flavours were too intense. In other words, the mango drink tasted like mango and the guava drink tasted like guava.
Their taste of mango and guava as well as other fruits is determined by the juices they get out of boxes, packets, cartons, bottles and cans. Tasting the real thing was not only new to their palettes but it did not “measure up” to their established taste of fruit drinks. This made me sad. In a previous column on a similar subject, I had said that I am not knocking anyone’s choice. However, just so that we do not lose our sense of taste for fruits or the opportunity to introduce these flavours to a younger generation, let’s challenge ourselves this July-August holidays and reclaim the taste of fruits. Let’s stock up on what’s seasonal, wherever you are, and turn the fruits into various types of drinks including smoothies, slushies, sorbets, popsicles, icicles or our locally termed flutees – ice blocks.
Reclaiming the taste of fruits is not just for children but adults too. Join in the fun.
Fruit, water and sugar is all you need. A squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice in some drinks balances out the flavour. And here’s the thing about sugar and the sweetening of drinks – I highly recommend that you make simple syrup – a mixture of an equal amount (volume) of water and sugar brought to boil or medium heat for 1 minute, cooled and then bottled for multiple uses. If you or others are moderating your/their sugar intake, you can add as little or much of the syrup in each glass to sweeten the drink. The biggest plus about sweetening with simple syrup is that it can be added to ice, and ice-cold drinks and easily mixed together. With sugar, you’d have to wait a while for the sugar crystals to dissolve and wait a little longer for the rawness of the sugar to dissipate before melding with the natural flavour of the fruit.
Mangoes, pineapple, passion fruit and soursop are currently in season. These fruits are not only good for making various beverages but for making sweet treats –
topping tarts, cheesecakes, ice cream, baked or steamed puddings. Lest we forget, one of the best ways to taste fruits is to actually eat the fruit itself, so make them a part of the morning meal and for snacking throughout the day.
There is much in life that we cannot and do not have control over, let that not be the case with the taste of the food and drink we ingest. Taste memory is powerful; it has the ability to transport and comfort. It is a taste of home. It is the taste of a place. It is a taste of a time. Let’s not lose it.
Cynthia
cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
