Chapter 12 Recipes and Work Plans
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Many beverages require no preparation. Those beverages that have recipes are
usually simple enough for even the most inexperienced cooks to prepare.
Cold Drinks
Milk, bottled water, carbonated beverages, fruit and vegetable juices, lemonade,
punch, smoothies, and milk shakes are popular cold drinks. Be aware that nondiet soft
drinks are the number one source of added sugars in the U.S. diet. Many fruit drinks
and punches also supply little more than sugar. Follow the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans by balancing these beverages with more nutritious beverage choices, such
as milk and juices. Also, be sure to choose pure water often.
Many drinks are ready to enjoy, right from the refrigerator. Make sure to serve drinks
icy cold. Have plenty of ice on hand to keep drinks chilled.
Smoothies and milk shakes are thick, frosty treats. Ingredients can vary, but
smoothies are often made with yogurt and fruit; milk shakes contain milk and ice cream.
When preparing these beverages, have all ingredients as cold as possible. Using frozen
fruit in a smoothie will help make the drink extra thick and cold. Combine all ingredients
in a blender. Adding the liquid ingredients fi rst will help the solid ingredients become
thoroughly blended. Blend for about 20 to 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Pour
it into tall glasses and serve with straws.
Coffee
Coffee is a popular beverage at breakfast and with desserts. However, many people
drink coffee all day long.
Coffee is made from the beans of the coffee plant. The beans are dried, roasted,
and packaged for shipment. The fl avor of coffee beans depends on the variety and
growing conditions. It also depends on the degree of roasting, which may be described
as mild to dark.
You can buy a single variety of coffee beans. You can also buy coffee blends, which
are mixtures of several varieties of coffee beans. Coffees that have added fl avorings,
such as hazelnut or French vanilla, are available, too.
Preparing
Beverages for a
Party
When preparing
cold drinks for a
party, you can freeze
fruit juices in ice cube
trays. These ice cubes
will not dilute drinks. You can also use fruit juices to
make ice rings to fl oat in punch bowls. Ice rings take
longer to melt than ice cubes, so they keep punches
cold longer. For outdoor events, pack canned bever-
ages and drink boxes in coolers. Use insulated picnic
jugs to hold large amounts of cold beverages.
When preparing sparkling punch for a party, make
the punch base ahead of time and chill it well. Chill
the soda for the punch separately. Make the base by
mixing all ingredients except the soda. Just before the
party, pour the punch base over an ice ring in a punch
bowl. Add the soda at the last minute to keep the
punch from getting “fl at.”
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