Elderberry cordial

This cordial is perfect as a mixer with water, sparkling water, in cocktails or as a fruity salad dressing.

Makes about 500 ml

Ingredients
500g elderberries
300ml water
300g sugar
60ml lemon juice

Method

Put the elderberries, water and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, turn down the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes until the berries have popped open and the liquid has reduced down to a syrup. Stir in the lemon juice.

Remove from the heat and strain through muslin. Pour into sterilised bottles and store in the fridge for up to 6 months.


Levain et le vin

Levain et le vin is a new bread and wine store in the city. We say bread and wine, but it's actually much more than that. It's homemade sourdough breads and focaccia and the most amazing cinnamon buns!!

The wines sold or all natural wines, meaning that there are no additives and the process happens naturally.

They also have a cafe/coffee corner and where they serve great coffee and delicious sandwiches using their own homemade bread.

Visit Levain et le vin at Jan Pieter Heijestraat 168, Amsterdam

https://www.levainetlevin.com


Rhubarb and Basil Syrups

Flavoured syrups are great ways to make mocktails or other flavoured drinks. They keep well for a few weeks in the fridge and only require a few ingredients.

Here are 2 recipes, one for a rhubarb syrup and one for a basil syrup. Great flavours for spring and also here are great mocktail ideas .

Rhubarb syrup 

Ingredients

1,25 kg fresh or frozen chopped rhubarb
500 ml water
500 g sugar
1 vanilla pod

Place the rhubarb in a pan with the sugar, water and vanilla. Bring to the boil, simmer for a few minutes and strain so that you have a clear pink syrup. Cool, pour into a bottle and store in the fridge.

To make a cocktail, mix 30 ml of the syrup with about 120 ml sparkling water. Add ice and garnish with mint leaves.

Basil syrup
500 g water
500 g sugar
50g  basil

Kombucha and basil mocktail

1 bottle ginger kombucha
slices ginger
Black pepper

Place water and sugar in a saucepan, heat until boiling, then cool. Add basil to the syrup and blend.

Peel the ginger and cut into slices about 5mm thick.

Put two slices of ginger and the 30 ml basil syrup into a glass. Add ice cubes. Pour in about 150 ml kombucha. Mix it all through and grind black pepper on top. Serve immediately.


Green smoothies

A healthy boost to give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs.
Makes: 3 cups 
Ingredients
4 Large Apples
6 Celery Stalks
2 Kale Leaves
Method
Wash the ingredients under running water.
Core the apples. De-stem kale leaves. Throw them in a juicer altogether with celery stalks, that have been cut into smaller pieces.
The juicing takes literally a minute or two.
Once juiced, pour into glasses and serve right away!

Rhubarb Lemonade

For 8 glasses

For the Rhubarb Syrup

1,2 kg rhubarb, peeled and diced
480 g castor sugar
450 ml water

For the Rhubarb Lemonade

sparkling water
lemon slices
mint leaves

Method

To prepare the rhubarb lemonade first combine the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a large saucepan.

Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently for 20-25 minutes until the rhubarb is soft and the syrup has slightly thickened.

Strain the syrup through a fine sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth, sat over a bowl.

Press the rhubarb against the side of the sieve with the back of a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible.

Pour the rhubarb syrup into a jar, seal well, and chill until ready to serve.

To Serve

Pour 50 ml of rhubarb syrup into serving glasses.

Top up with chilled sparkling water, stir briefly, and garnish the rhubarb lemonade with lemon slices and mint leaves before serving.


Ice Tea

Quench your thirst on warm summer days with this easy and delicious ice tea recipe.

 

Ingredients
4 organic Rooibos tea bags
1,2 liters boiling water
about 3 Tbsp castor sugar
slices of lemon or orange, mint leaves and ice cubes, to serve

Also delicious mixed with a little mango, pineapple or orange juice.

Method
Allow the tea to infuse in the water for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and stir in the sugar until dissolved. The amount of sugar you add is up to you. You can either add more or less or leave it out completely.

Allow the tea to cool and refrigerate until chilled.

To serve, fill long glasses with ice, lemon slices and mint leaves. Pour over the chilled tea and enjoy.

 


Lemon Cordial

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
zest from one lemon
cold or sparkling water
lemon slices, optional
mint leaves for garnish

Method
Measure the sugar and water into a saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let cool slightly.

Add fresh squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest to the sugar syrup. Cool completely. Pour the lemonade syrup into a jar or bottle. Cover tightly with the lid. The syrup can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks.

When you’re ready to make into lemonade, put some ice cubes in the bottom of a glass. Pour ¼ cup of the lemon syrup over the ice cubes. Add ¾ cup cold water or sparkling water and stir. Float a thin slice of lemon and, if you like, a fresh mint leaf on top of each glass. The recipe makes enough syrup for 14 glasses of lemonade.

To make pink lemonade: add 1/2 cup grenadine syrup to the jar of lemonade syrup and stir. Strawberry lemonade: add 2 tablespoons of puree of fresh strawberries into each glass. Limeade: Replace lemon with lime juice and lime zest.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Juice Brothers

On a recent trip to London, we were amazed at the number of juice bars and stores around the city. It's a hype at the moment and growing at an incredible rate.

Amsterdam has not been left behind. We discovered Juice Brothers, which opened about a month and a half ago. Situated on the van Woustraat in the Pijp district, they're all about vegan, organic, raw and cold-pressed.

Cold-pressed juices are said to be better because fruits and vegetables are shredded and hydraulically pressed, with minimal generation of heat and thus minimum oxidation. Heat kills many of the vitamins, minerals and live enzymes you think you’re getting when consuming other “healthy” juices. The cold-press method allows enzymes to stay alive, resulting in juice with maximum nutrients.

Besides offering juices made up of interesting and delicious combinations, they also offer smoothies to order, breakfasts, salads and raw food.

It's fresh, clean and minimalist interior works well, allowing their juices and smoothies to take centre stage.

We're sure that there will be more of their stores popping up soon.


Gin & Tonic

Gin & Tonic is one of the hippest drinks at the moment and certainly is well paired with good weather. Here's a definitive guide to making the perfect G&T.

Use a gin of your choice, as everyone has their favourite brand. Also use the finest chilled organic tonic water (our favourite is by FeverTree and using the 200ml bottles means it is always fresh).

You'll need:
Fresh green lime
A sharp knife
Chopping board
Bottle opener
Long spoon

Start by rolling the lime on a chopping board with the palm of your hand. What this does is massage the fruit to get the juices flowing. You'll be able to get a higher yield of juice from each wedge. Now you're ready to cut your lime into wedges. To do this, don't cut it in half from head to tail but through the circumference of the fruit, then, whilst resting the flat area on the board, cut the two halves into four wedges (cut across the segments). You should end up with eight perfectly formed wedges which are juicy and will add aroma and flavour. If you don't happen to use up all your lime wedges in one go, place them in a sealable container and pop them into the freezer. This way they are ready to be used next time as lime flavoured ice cubes.

Next take one of your lime wedges and between thumb and forefinger, squeeze into the bottom of the highball glass, then drop in the wedge. Take your favourite bottle of gin (if you're lucky enough to have a barman's pourer in your bottle then turn it upside down over the glass and count to five. This should give you a double measure 50ml). If you don't have a pourer then you could use the cap. This measures 15 ml - measure out 3 of these add one last splash for good luck.

Next, fill the glass to the top with ice then stir for a few seconds with the long spoon. Open your chilled bottle of tonic water just before you need it so it's lively, then pour 100ml over the ice. Let the bubbles settle then stir for a couple of seconds to mix the drink and create a consistent flavour. If needed, add more ice cubes to bring the water line to around 1 cm from the top of the glass (not more tonic) then add a second lime wedge (not squeezed) perfectly positioned on the top of your drink to add aroma and visual appeal, but little extra flavour. Now sit back, relax and sip away!

Note: You can also mix the flavours up by introducing spices like pink peppercorns, cloves, fruit such as orange or blueberries.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Kale Smoothie

If you're needing a boost for your immune system or just looking to keep healthy, the combination of theses fruits and vegetables will help you on your way.

Serves 2

Ingredients
100 g shredded kale
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 piece fresh ginger (about 5 cm), peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled and cored
juice of 1 orange
apple juice, to thin the smoothie down

Method
Place all the ingredients in a (Magimix) blender and blend until smooth. Add enough apple juice to thin it down to the consistency you desire.

Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours