92 Unit 1 Getting Started in the Kitchen Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. choose, use it sparingly. A light sprinkle is all that is needed to give pizza a delicious cheese fl avor. You can even choose to skip the cheese completely, if you prefer (Figure 5.6). Beverages A beverage is a drinkable liquid. People drink beverages with meals and throughout the day. Beverages can quench thirst and help meet the body’s need for water. Some beverages also provide other nutrients. For instance, milk is a good source of calcium. Many fruit and vegetable juices are high in vitamin C. 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, water, carbonated beverages, fruit and vegetable juices and drinks, lemonade, smoothies, slushies, and milk shakes are popular cold drinks. 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. When choosing drinks, be aware that beverages can have a lot of calories. In fact, sugar-sweetened beverages are the number one source of added sugars in the U.S. diet. Some people consume a full day’s worth of calories just from the beverages they drink. Avoiding empty calories from sugar is not the only reason to cut out soda. Soda has been linked to a number of health and environmental concerns. Those looking for healthier options to regular soda may think fruit drinks or calorie- free beverages are good choices. Although fruit drinks may offer a few vitamins, many supply Timofeev Sergey/Shutterstock.com Figure 5.6 When making pizza, use less cheese to reduce fat and calories and allow the flavor of vegeta- ble toppings to come through. What kinds of vegeta- bles do you like on your pizza? Learn About… Preparing Beverages for a Party When serving cold drinks for a party or picnic, you might want to fi ll a tub or cooler with ice. Then you can stock it with a variety of canned bever- ages, juice boxes, and bottled water. Guests can choose their favorite drinks whenever they get thirsty. If you plan to make a large quantity of a special beverage recipe, consider serving it in a drink dispenser. This is a large container that will require less frequent refi lling. It has a spigot that allows guests to serve themselves without lifting heavy pitchers. To keep your special recipe cold, freeze some of it in ice cube trays. These ice cubes will not dilute drinks. You can also freeze some of your recipe in a small bowl or ring mold. This will make a large block of ice to put in a drink dispenser or punch bowl. Ice blocks take longer to melt than ice cubes, so they keep drinks cold longer. When preparing a sparkling beverage recipe, use seltzer to add fi zz without adding sugar. You can make a beverage base ahead of time by mixing all ingredients except the seltzer. Chill the base and seltzer separately. Just before the party, pour the base over an ice block in a beverage dispenser or punch bowl. Add the seltzer at the last minute to keep the drink from getting “fl at.” Know and Apply 1. What is the advantage of using an ice block instead of ice cubes for chilling beverages in a drink dispenser or punch bowl? 2. Why would seltzer be a better choice than lemon- lime soda for making sparkling beverages?