UPFRONT/EAT
Flavor Your Water
ADDING EXTRAS to your H20 can make it easier to sip and stay hydrated. But flavored water isn’t only a spa-day treat; you can make it at home using these easy recipes from Adrienne Willis, director of Spa Fjör at Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island. Serve any of these recipes—which make about a gallon of water—immediately over ice. For stronger flavor, steep for three to four hours in the fridge. —Kelsey Ogletree
1. CUCUMBER MINT
Thinly slice 1 whole cucumber and add to a water pitcher. Roughly chop ½ cup of fresh mint leaves, add to the pitcher and fill with water.
2. STRAWBERRY LIME
Thinly slice 2 limes and 3 cups of strawberries and add to a water pitcher. Squeeze the juice from 1 more lime into the pitcher, then fill with water.
3. WATERMELON BASIL
Chop 1 small seedless watermelon into small cubes and add to a water pitcher. Add ½ cup of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped, and fill the pitcher with water.
4. APPLE CINNAMON
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, then remove from the heat and pour into a jar with 4 or 5 halved cinnamon sticks. Let cool. Slice 4 large apples into thin wedges and add to a water pitcher, then pour in the cinnamon water and fill the pitcher to the top with water.
5. BLUEBERRY LEMON
Lightly crush 3 cups of blueberries and add to a water pitcher. Add 2 lemons, thinly sliced, then squeeze the juice from 1 more lemon into the pitcher. Fill with water.
MY FAVORITE INGREDIENT
ORZO PASTA
This small, rice-shaped pasta cooks quickly. Serve it warm, or chilled in a salad. Orzo takes on great flavor from ingredients like chicken stock, and it’s a nice side for shrimp or scallops with a sauce. Try orzo soup with Italian sausage as a weeknight main course. —David Mallard, Personal Chef, West Palm Beach, Florida