Cuisine: Homemade Berry-Aid Soda

Soda. I love it. I am an addict. I can drink it any time and any place. I know it isn't healthy, but it doesn't stop me from guzzling it down. We were hosting The Kitchenless Cook, which inspired me to ask, "How do I make a great tasting soda, naturally, and without a kitchen?" I tinkered and toyed, and this divine natural soda is what resulted. Perfect for a day in the sun. Or as a cocktail mixer too!

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Ingredients:
2 pints raspberries
1 quart strawberries, cored and quartered
3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 bunch mint leaves
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/14 cups brown sugar
4 tangelos, juiced
5 lemons, juiced
6 limes, juiced
seltzer water

Directions:
Put the water, sugar, ginger, and mint together into a pot or electric wok and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes. Add raspberries and boil for 5 more minutes. Add strawberries and boil until liquid become thick and syrupy. Remove from heat or turn electric wok off. Let liquid cool.

Strain the liquid twice through a colander. If you do not have a colander, you can strain it through cheese cloth or muslin, which can be purchased at a grocery store or even at the hardware store which is surprisingly cheaper AND is exactly the same thing as cheese cloth.

Add the tangelo, lemon, and lime juice to the syrup.

To serve, put a few ice cubes in a cup and add equal parts seltzer water and syrup.