Classic Homemade Orange Soda

The orange soda/orangeade recipe used for this hub was adapted from one that appears in Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux, for which I have provided a link for ordering a copy from below.

This hub is a nod to the final days of summer, which are still warm and active with children traveling door to door with their games. Orange soda is a refreshing drink to sip while watering your garden, writing letters, or sitting on your porch. This recipe is all natural.

Children can participate in making this drink by juicing the fruit with a manual juicer, and grating the zest. Once it is made, it can be shared with co-housing neighbors at common meals, on porches, or while working on the latest jigsaw puzzle under construction. We usually bring a pitcher with us when we attend community pot luck meals and serve it on our porch during community "porch strolls." *

* A "Porch Stroll" is an event where community members stroll in groups from porch to porch in their neighborhood. On each porch, a light snack or a beverage is offered. The traveling group of neighbors talk, laugh, and play with the children who weave their way through to eat and drink between games.

The ingredients you will need for this recipe include:

10 Large juice Oranges

3 Medium Lemons

6 1/2 Cups cold water

2 Tablespoons raw organic clover honey

1/2 Vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 Teaspoon 100% pure Vanilla extract)

1 Bottle seltzer water (optional)

Ice cubes to add to the pitcher and individual glasses

A Word about Oranges ~

though oranges are normally grown in climates that are mild and do not experience extreme changes in temperature, they are worth having some in the house no matter where you live. They are fragrant, sweet, and convenient to carry to work to have as a quick snack.

Grapefruits can be even more refreshing than oranges. Why not try this recipe with grapefruits as a substitute for oranges, and leave out the vanilla.

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 2 oranges and 1 lemon.

2. Cut all the oranges and lemons in half, juice them, and set the juice aside.

3. Combine water, honey, and vanilla in a large pot. Add the citrus zest, and bring to a boil.

4. Once boiled, remove the pot from the heat. Allow it to cool completely, then add the orange and lemon juice.

5. Refrigerate overnight, then strain through a very fine sieve, cheesecloth, or a sifter.

6. Serve over ice cubes or add an ounce or two of cold seltzer water.

The scent of the water, honey, vanilla and fruit zest boiling is heavenly, of which my daughter agreed. She helped squeeze some of the orange halves, and to taste it before offering a pitcher of it as a beverage for this evening's community meal.