The flavored water recipe
for your table
Rinse the fruit and herbs and cut the cucumber into thin slices. Thin slicing creates more cut surface, and that's where the flavor comes from, so thick chunks take much longer.
Gently muddle soft fruit such as strawberries or watermelon with a muddler so the juice is released. Just slap the herbs between your hands and don't crush them, because torn leaves make the water cloudy.
Put everything in the carafe, pour in the cold water and put the lid on. Leave the pitcher in the refrigerator for one to two hours; that's enough for cucumber, mint and soft fruit.
Remove the lemon slices as soon as the pitcher has reached the desired flavor, because the white pith becomes bitter if it stays in. Pour into a glass with ice and finish the pitcher within 24 hours.
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The story
Flavored water is an idea that began in the hospitality industry and then made its way to the kitchen table: a pitcher of water with something in it, so guests drink water on their own. It works because the flavor comes from the cut surface, not from sugar. A few thin slices of cucumber give a pitcher of water a distinct flavor within an hour, while half a whole lemon can sit in it for a day without making it any better. The combinations that stick are always the same: cucumber with mint, strawberry with basil, lemon with ginger, orange with rosemary, and watermelon with mint. One herb and one fruit are enough; more makes the flavor vague.
The right glass
Flavored water belongs in a pitcher or carafe with a stopper or lid. In an open pitcher, the water absorbs the smell of everything else in the refrigerator, while a stopper also keeps it dust-free when it is on the table. Then pour it into a handy tumbler, so you can see the fruit through the glass. Find more pitchers in the water pitchers collection.
RCR Melodia Carafe 1.16 Liters With Stopper
RCR Melodia Tumbler 24 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 53,90.
The right tools
For flavored water, use a muddler next to the glass to gently crush soft fruit, and a citrus juicer to add a splash of fresh juice to the pitcher. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 62,85.
Which splash belongs in flavoured water?
Flavoured water is alcohol-free in itself. If you want to turn the jug into a punch for drinks, vodka is the most neutral choice, while gin pairs well with cucumber and mint. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it goes with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The combinations that work best are cucumber with mint, strawberry with basil, lemon with ginger, orange with rosemary, and watermelon with mint. Stick to one fruit and one herb, because three flavours mixed together become vague. Using sparkling water instead of still water keeps the whole thing sharper, and adding a few slices of ginger gives the jug a distinct kick. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Place the jug on the table with the lid on and the glasses around it, so everyone can pour their own drink and the fruit stays visible. Put the ice in the glasses, not in the jug, because ice in the jug dilutes the flavour you have waited an hour for.
Good to know
Which combinations really work?
Cucumber with mint, strawberry with basil, lemon with ginger, orange with rosemary, and watermelon with mint. One fruit with one herb gives a clear flavour; more varieties mixed together make it taste flat.
Muddle or simply slice?
Lightly bruise soft fruit such as strawberry, watermelon, and peach to release the juice. Cut hard fruit such as apple, citrus, and ginger only into thin slices. Clap herbs between your hands rather than crushing them, otherwise the water will become cloudy.
How long can the pitcher stay in the refrigerator?
One to two hours is enough for cucumber, mint, and soft fruit. Hard fruit and ginger can steep longer. Finish the pitcher within a day and remove citrus slices sooner, because the white pith becomes bitter if it remains in the water.
Still water or sparkling water?
Still water lets the fruit come through more clearly, while sparkling water keeps the overall flavor sharper. If you use sparkling water, pour it over the fruit shortly before serving, because the carbonation disappears from a pitcher left open for an hour.
Can the water spoil?
Fruit in water is freshly cut fruit, so the pitcher belongs in the refrigerator and not on a warm table for hours. Finish it within a day and then discard the fruit; do not put the pitcher back in the refrigerator for a second day.
Frequently asked questions
What is flavored water?
Cold water in which fresh fruit, herbs, or cucumber have been steeped. It contains no sugar or syrup, so it is not lemonade.
Which fruit and herb combinations work best?
Cucumber with mint, strawberry with basil, lemon with ginger, orange with rosemary, and watermelon with mint. Stick to one fruit and one herb.
How long should flavored water sit?
One to two hours in the refrigerator is enough. Finish the pitcher within a day and remove the lemon slices sooner, because the white pith becomes bitter.
What do you put flavored water in?
In a pitcher or carafe with a stopper or lid, so the water does not absorb odors in the refrigerator and the pitcher stays dust-free on the table.
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