Cranberry-Pomegranate Soda

Happy festive foods week! Today is brought to you by the Cranberry!  

There are so many traditional holiday beverages - mulled wine, peppermint hot chocolate, whatever a hot toddy is - but today I thought we might need something cool, bright and refreshing. I also like carbonating things with my siphon.

This is the perfect time of year to make a cranberry soda because you can find fresh cranberries in the local market.  Sure, you could use cranberry juice concentrate, but that's not what we do this time of year.  Fresh and made from scratch is the theme of the holidays!  Plus, it's fun to watch the cranberries pop on the stove top.

This soda is made from a combination of cranberry, pomegranate and orange juices, each giving a little something to the drink. The cranberry lends it's flavor and tartness.  The pomegranate gives this drink a sweetness and also a nice back note flavor. Finally the orange juice adds just a hint of citric acid kick. Pour yourself a glass! Consider adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it would be amazing.

One Year Ago: Egg Nog Mallomars
Two Years Ago: Peppermint Chocolate Mallomars
Three Years Ago: Browned-butter Spritz Sandwich Cookies

Pomegranate-Cranberry Soda

From Homemade Sodas

2 cups pomegranate juice, divided
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup orange juice

Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice and cranberries in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let cook until you can hear the cranberries popping.  Remove from the heat and mash the cranberries with a potato masher.  Let sit to cool completely.

Pour mixture through a medium mesh sieve to remove cranberry seeds and skins.  Add remaining cup of pomegranate juice and orange juice, stir to combine.

To carbonate with a siphon...

Add enough water to the above mixture to give 4 cups total volume (or 1 liter total volume as I did since I have a 1 liter siphon).  Pour mixture into your siphon and cap. Place in the fridge for at least an hour. Chilled liquid will carbonate better.  Carbonate according to your siphons instructions.

To carbonate with seltzer...

Pour 2/3 cup cranberry-pomegranate mixture into a glass.  Top concentrate with 3/4 cup seltzer water. Stir and toss in a few ice cubes. (for a less sweet drink, mix only 1/3 cup cranberry-pomegranate mixture with seltzer). Ahh, refreshing...