500g Frozen or fresh organic blueberries, strawberries or raspberries
900g Caster sugar
1 Organic lemon, thinly sliced
40g Tartaric/citric acid (optional)

If frozen defrost the berries and then crush with the sugar with a masher in a bowl. Add the lemon slices. Pour over 500ml boiling water, and stir until the sugar has dissolved, boil for 1 hour. Allow to cool, cover with a tea towel and store in the fridge for 4 days, add the tartaric acid at this point if using.

Taste and see if it is strong enough; if it's not, give it another day in the fridge. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve and decant into sterilised bottles. The cordial will keep in the fridge in unopened bottles for up to 6 months. Serve with sparkling water

GGGGGGGINGER BEER

Ginger beer is a delicious refreshing drink, and good for settling the tummy.  take care though the bottles must be stored in a cool place and not shaken. Chill thoroughly before opening but be prepared for the odd explosion thats half the fun but it can be messy.  To make real ginger beer you need to make the 'plant' its not a real plant, but its a yeast free orginal way of making your ginger beer fizz.

TO MAKE THE GINGER 'Plant'

2 teaspoons powdered ginger or 150gm of fresh ginger

2 teaspoons organic sugar

600 ml tepid distilled water

TO MAKE THE BEER

4 litres distilled water

500 g organic sugar

2 lemons

½ teaspoon of seasalt

Directions

The 'Plant'

Mix the ginger, 1 tspns of sugar and tepid water together in a large glass jar. Cover with a muslin cloth. Let stand for 24 hours. After this feed every day for 11 days with 1 tspn of ginger and 1 tspn of sugar.

Making the 'Beer'

Put 1 litre of the water and the sugar in a saucpan. Heat gently while stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and add the rest of the water and the lemon juice.

Without disturbing the sediment, strain the ginger 'plant' liquid through 2 layers of scalded muslin. Add this liquid to the sugared water.  Pour the mixture into clean bottles, cap tightly and leave to stand for 2 days, or until it starts to fizz.   After this, it must be kept in a cool place or the fridge to prevent the tops blowing.  Sterilize Bottles. After making the beer divide the sediment in the jar into two. You now have 2 'plants' to feed and can double the beer recipe. Keep the 'plant' going and you will have a constant supply of fresh ginger beer.