Alternative Drinks....

For the next several months, I can no longer have that cold refreshing beer or a cool glass of white wine. So, one has to discover alternatives to make dining and socializing more interesting. In truth--There's only so much water, lemonade and seltzer I can drink! Not a huge fan of sparkling grape juice either.

L&P: Lemon and Paeroa is a sweet soft drink manufactured here in New Zealand. And I LOVE IT! I've never been much of a soda drinker. I'll have the occasional sprite with a burger, after a long day skiing or at a sporting event, but we almost never keep soda in the house.

L&P was traditionally made with lemon juice and carbonated mineral water in a town called Paeroa (on the Coromandel peninsula, north island). Now, it is manufactured by Coca-Cola. They have a fantastic slogan that has been around for ages on their bottle, "World Famous in New Zealand" meaning very well known locally but has little recognition overseas. I've even heard people use the phrase outside of reference to L&P for items that are very popular here but not as elsewhere. I would describe the taste as a cross between a ginger ale and a sprite. It's still a special treat, but quite yummy.

Another special treat is Mac's Green Apple Cider brewed here. Yep, it's non-alcoholic, but it is made from granny smith apples, a bit of sugar and sparkling water. The drink makes your mouth pucker and your eyes squint.Cary enjoys it too.

Aside from store bought drinks, I have grown quite creative making fruit and yogurt smoothies for breakfast and snacks. Also,we have experimented with making "mock-tails" such as a mojito with lots of  lime, mint, seltzer to get the taste of something different. Thankfully, my taste buds are now satisfied with introducing some variety to the everyday water.