Your Next Seltzer Needs Jam
Seltzer, or sparkling water if you like (“spicy water” if you’re my baby), has had a moment since at least 2016 . My Target has an entire wall dedicated to the multifaceted flavor combinations of LaCroix, Spindrift, Bubly, Waterloo, Aha, Polar, and Sparkling Ice, not to mention Target, Market Pantry, and Good & Gather knockoffs. With flavor profiles ranging from basic (lemon, lime) to complex (raspberry hibiscus, coconut pineapple, citrus + green tea, blackberry tangerine and beach plum, whatever it is), sparkling water seems to be tasteless. t buy.
And while they do taste delicious, many of these pre-packaged waters are formulated to bring only hints (“essences”) of their namesake flavors. This makes them amazing, non-overwhelming mixers. And this spring and summer, we recommend mixing seltzer water with jam or jam.
We’ve written before about the virtues of using jam to make any drink fit for the morning , but for the purposes of this post – and since it’s 9:38 AM – I’m abstaining from drinking for now. But please feel free to drink when you try this at home.
As you can imagine, there are many varieties of fruit jam and flavored seltzer drinks that can be made into a delicious drink. When this TikTok creator paired lime seltzer with raspberry lychee jam, commenters joined in with their favorite combinations, most of which contain alcohol you don’t need to add: cranberry jelly with rose and La Croix in winter; blackberry jam, raspberry sparkling water and red wine; and good old “gin and jam”, that’s what it sounds like, and nothing more. One raved about the tangerine and coconut cream blend, while others suggested adding matcha.
In addition to taste, excessive simplicity attracts here. You get sugar, fruit and astringency in one serving, without the need to mix fruit or make simple syrup. (And you won’t be wasting leftover jam that takes up weeks of space on your refrigerator door.) While jam will give you a thicker, more fruity feel, jelly will probably be easier to blend.
How to add jam to seltzer
Simply add a tablespoon of whatever jam you have on hand to a glass filled with ice, then pour in your favorite seltzer water. Stir (not too much or the seltzer will lose its carbonation) and enjoy. If your jam lacks astringency, add a slice of lemon or lime juice, raspberry vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, which can give it more of a kombucha flavor. Experiment with different flavor combinations until you find your favorite. It doesn’t matter if you mess up. It’s just a spoonful of jam!
At my house, I had Kirkland’s organic strawberry spread on hand, which I first tried with La Croix grapefruit (do not recommend). However, when I mixed the same spread with La Croix passion fruit, something amazing happened. Beware: The jam won’t fully mix with water and will likely leave bits of fruit on the bottom that you may or may not eat, depending on how much you like sugar. Even if you don’t eat all of the fruity goodness, it will do the trick and fill your seltzer with a mild, flavorful sweetness.
And for anyone who wants to say, “Who knew adding fruit and sugar to sparkling water would be delicious?” Don’t hate. Take part. Anyone you serve a drink to this summer will thank you.