Ina Garten's 4-Ingredient Breakfast Soda Is Delightfully Refreshing
Celebrity chef, TV host, and cookbook author Ina Garten is always generous with her expert opinions. Whether you've attempted one of the Barefoot Contessa's desserts, followed her special fried chicken tip, or taken her advice to make ricotta cheese from scratch, Garten has helped enhance so many elements of her fans' cooking repertoires.
Yet her bag of tricks is deep, and it includes a bevy of beverages, too. If you're the type to entertain for brunch, one of her favorites is ideal as a refreshing morning sipper — or if you're in the market for a nonalcoholic mocktail that's tart and tasty anytime of the day. In a Food Network video from "Barefoot Contess," Garten whips up a fizzy drink she refers to as a breakfast soda with just four ingredients — pomegranate juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, sugar, and sparkling water. "I always want to make something special to drink for a party, but you can't have cocktails for breakfast" she says, adding that the drink is "so easy to make, and so delicious ... it's also actually good for you."
The combination comes together in just minutes and has a beautiful dark red hue that makes for a delightful presentation. The tartness of the pomegranate and lime is tempered by a subtle sweetness from the sugar, and the effervescence gives a celebratory air to start the day.
The simplicity of Ina Garten's homemade soda
The beauty of this drink is in its simplicity, as well as the quality of the ingredients. Ina Garten squeezes her limes fresh rather than using the bottled stuff. She also opts for superfine sugar, which will dissolve more efficiently in the liquid, avoiding any clumps or graininess. If you're concerned about the addition of sugar in this drink, the amount is pretty small — only a tablespoon for more than 32 ounces of liquid (or four servings).
Even with that dose of sweetness, this breakfast soda does seem like an ideal way to start the morning. You can reap the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice, which according to Healthline can potentially include fighting inflammation, promoting heart health, and lowering blood pressure (among others).
Of course, you could also take things in an entirely different direction by adding a little alcohol to the mix. "I suppose you could do this with champagne," Garten tells viewers, hinting that the sparkling water could be substituted for a fizzy wine. Either way, garnished with a wedge of lime, perhaps mint or rosemary, and paired with your favorite brunch foods, this sparkling breakfast soda will be a true delight.