FRESCA WATER

FRESCA WATER  
This really hit's the spot on a hot summers day. It's really high in vitamin C  and is great to serve for breakfast or as a cool refreshing drink at a get together.  So easy to make and so easy to drink. 
Note: This drink is best  freshly made.

In the picture shown: I use 1 Lime, 1 Orange. 1 Lemon & 1 Prickly Pear.  The Prickly Pear give's the drink that nice color and adds flavor to the drink.

 Here is a list of fruit combinations you can use, or make your own unique drink combination.
1. Orange, Lime, Lemon, Prickly Pear.
2.  Prickly Pear, Water Melon, Starwberries.
3.  Lemon, Lime, Orange.
4. Strawberries, with assorted berries.
5 Water Melon, Cantaloupe, Cucumber,
                                                                             The combination and addition of fruit is endless. :)
METHOD OF PREPARATION

This recipe is for the Picture above. 

Note: You do not need a blender or food processor to make this, but if you do have one it does help.

NOTE:  Using the whole fruit make a lot of drinks so consider using half of the fruit, instead of the whole.

1 LIME  or  half lime.
1ORANGE or half of orange.            
1 LEMON  or half of lemon.
1 PRICKLY PEAR. or half of prickly pear.

FIRST: PREPPING FRUIT
Peel the Lime with Veggie peeler the best you can.  This is only if has thin skin.  Then cut the top off with a knife and cut off any more of the skin that was hard to peel. Next take the knife and cut it in half, then half it again.  Then cut the halfed parts into small piece, put in bowl.
Peel orange and cut into small chuncks.
Peel lemon and cut into small chuncks.
Peel off skin of prickly pear and cut into chuncks.  WATCH OUT THIS WILL STAIN.

SECOND: SMASHING FRUIT
You can use a metal spatula,  a mash potato smasher , a pastery knife or food processer.  Yes the food processor works the best, but if you do not have one  do not let that stop you from making this.  There is a little  elbow grease , but just look at this way, you'll be burning off calories.   
Metal Spatula:  First use the metal spatula to chop the little cut piece of fruit into smaller bits.  Get in there and chop away. There is no rhyme or reason to this method.  Had a bad day, time to take it out on the fruit.  

POTATO MASHER: Squish and smash or Smash and squish it really up to what you want to do.  

PASTRY KNIFE:  Cut and smash.   The sharper the edges of the pastry knife the better it will work.  Round edged one not so good.
            \
FOOD PROCESSOR: Plug in and Push button.   Did you feel the burn?

Okay after you are finished mangling your fruit with your weapon of choice add two cup's of ice cold water to mash fruit. And mash it some more.

THIRD: STRAINING IT.
Now using a sieve, strain the concentrated juice mixture into a bowl.  DO NOT THROW OUT PULP!
Next take the pulp, put it back into the bowl and add another two cups of water. Refrigerate for an hour and strain again. Then you can throw out the pulp.  Keep the flavored water.  ;)   

FOURTH: PREPARING YOUR DRINK
1. Fill a glass with ice to the top.
2. Fill the bottom with 3 to 4 Tablespoons of concentrated juice.
3. Fill the rest of the glass of water.
4. Add sugar to taste.
5. Garnish with Strawberries and mint.
                   
                                 
CHEERS