We just completed our second cutting here at Berry Hill Farm. Keeping hydrated is a priority, and I was reminded that Ma Ingalls made them ginger-water also known as ‘switchel’.
In many rural parts of the country during summer, haytime is Switchel time. The homemade recipes likely varied with what the farmer’s wife had on hand, but the goal was the same…to get keep the hard-working men well-hydrated to get the hay in. The hay was vital to feed their animals during the winters when grass was not available.
Switchel may well have been the first form of ‘Gatorade’.
Taken here at Berry Hill last July – Thank you, Amy!
Ma Ingalls Made It
Nothing was ever so good as that cool wetness going down her throat. At the taste of it she stopped in surprise and Carrie clapped her hands and cried out, laughing, “don’t tell, Laura, don’t tell till Pa tastes it!”
Ma had sent them ginger-water. She had sweetened the cool well-water with sugar, flavored it with vinegar, and put in plenty of ginger to warm their stomachs so they could drink till they were not thirsty. Ginger-water would not make them sick, as plain cold water would when they were so hot. Such a treat made that ordinary day into a special day, the first day that Laura helped in the haying.~The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
When your body is really working hard, is hot and dripping sweat with the sun is beating down, it craves nothing more than a deep, cool drink of real water. Adding a natural unrefined sweetener, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals can reverse dehydration on a cellular level and supply just what is needed to keep you going strong. Not much is more restorative and well-received, except for maybe cold watermelon!
This haytime, I decided to make switchel with black strap molasses, similar toMy Version of Good Girl Moonshine. The molasses makes it a lovely rich mahogany color but also is a great source of iron.
According to Wikipedia, switchel came to the colonies by way of the Caribbean.It was a very popular summertime drink, and by the 19th century it was known as haymaker’s punchbecause of its frequent use during hay harvest.
The sweetener Laura wrote about her Ma using was ‘sugar’, but she does not mention if it was brown or white. Switchel can also be sweetened with honey, molasses, or even maple syrup for a healthier alternative.
Switchel Basic Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups of cold water (~1 quart)
2 TBSP raw honey (for all the live raw enzymes that bring vitality to a working body)(real raw honey often needs mixed into warm water first to help it mix into cold drinks)
Enjoy a glass yourself; your body will love what it does for you as you serve and bless your family with the work of your hands!
Double or Triple It!
By doubling and tripling the recipe it’s an easy-to-make replacement for expensive, mass-produced, and worrisome commercial ‘energy drinks’, the worst of which are linked to deaths and permanent disability.
Keep it simple and safe, staying cool and hydrated with real food and water.
“The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands.” ~Deuteronomy 28: 12
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What does switchel taste like? Switchel is sweet and tangy, with a crisp, clean flavor that goes down smooth--just what you'd expect from a simple recipe of maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, and bootstrap molasses!
Switchel debatably originated in the Caribbean, but New England also holds credit as the source, and it became a popular summer drink in the American Colonies in the late 17th century.
Today, with the popularity of shrubs and kombucha, the switchel (aka switzel, swizzle, switchy or ginger-water) is making a comeback. “Switchels were an effective electrolyte-replenishing beverage,” says Kevin Murphy, the bar director and assistant manager at Daisies, an American restaurant in Chicago.
Switchel is a traditional drink made from maple syrup, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger root, blackstrap molasses, and water. Switchel dates back to 17th century, where it was popular thrist-quencher with colonial farmers who called it "haymaker's punch".
Switchel can be a nutritious alternative for sugar-laden drinks like soda and fruit punch. Its unprocessed ingredients are associated with many health benefits, and it's a low-calorie drink that's simple to make.
According to the Tea Council of the USA survey, about 86% of Americans drink green tea. Green tea is generally considered the healthiest beverage globally due to its high levels of nutrients and antioxidants that fight off diseases and keep your organ functioning at its optimum level.
Where kombucha requires live bacterial colonies and days of fermentation, switchel is a happy and simple blend of water, ginger, apple cider vinegar and a sweetener, (usually maple syrup but can also be honey).
This microorganism called Alex is made up of millions of cells, not many of which are human cells.” This recipe for switchel, a probiotic beverage made in less than 5 minutes, is a great way to introduce beneficial microbial populations into the terrarium of your self.
But because of the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar found in switchel, potassium-rich electrolytes, particularly potassium, are replenished, making it an excellent alternative to sugary drinks like Gatorade.
It can be taken before meals or anytime throughout the day. It is a natural and clean way to replenish electrolytes. Good news for all you athletes out there. It has been proven that apple cider vinegar can help replenish electrolytes in your system.
CK and our Remedy Energy Shot are completely safe and suitable for children to enjoy. We know lots of kids who have grown up enjoying kombucha (including Remedy Founders Sarah and Emmet's own family) and many other types of naturally fermented food and drinks.
Blood sugar balance also gets a boost from apple cider vinegar. Consuming some apple cider vinegar at the start of your meals, like as a switchel, helps to slow down the spike in blood sugar during digestion.
Switchel has what we like to call the taste trifecta: a little sweet and a touch sour, with a slightly spicy kick. We've launched with three delicious flavours that make for refreshing bevvies all on their own OR as a great accompaniment to food.
You can stir it into a glass of water and drink it before meals or mix it with oil to make a salad dressing. Apple cider vinegar is more likely to aid weight loss when combined with other diet and lifestyle changes.
If you're wondering, does apple cider vinegar go bad? The answer is no! Under normal storage conditions, it generally maintains its integrity. As mentioned earlier, ACV naturally preserves itself. This means it doesn't really go off.
Kombucha is known for its probiotic properties due to fermentation, which can help with digestion and gut health. Switchel, on the other hand, is high in potassium and other electrolytes, making it a good choice for rehydration.
Cider can mean different things to people. So, while it can taste sweetly of apples to one person, to someone else, they enjoy drinking cider for the sharp, acidic edge that pleasantly cuts through their thirst on a hot summers day.
Switchel is similar to shrub, but instead of using fruit as a base, it uses ginger as the main flavouring agent, and is usually sweetened with richer sugars (i.e. molasses or maple syrup), and can sometimes include spices in the mix.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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