gretta carney Photo: credit BRIAN CULY of HOMEBASE COLLECTION
Hapi Organic Cafe & Maara is renowned for their work to uphold Ngā Kaupapa o Hua Parakore, that values the creation of pure, uncontaminated food. Homeopath and Co-owner Gretta Carney joins the show to share about their simple philosophy – food is medicine and medicine is food.
She also treated listeners to a number of soda recipes, see below!
At Hapī we are big on creating healthy alternatives to soft drink. It started with kawakawa lemonade which we would serve at hākari but has developed into an obsession with cider vinegar sodas.
All modern day fizzy drinks all originated from infused vinegar sodas with names like shrub, switchel and oxymel.
The tartness of the vinegar creates the perfect soda with all the associated medicinal benefits. The simplest recipe we have is equal parts cider vinegar and apple syrup with lemon juice or citric acid to taste.
These sodas taste best made with homemade vinegar as we find it has a softer, milder flavour than its commercial counterparts. If you are using store-bought vinegars it’s important to source organic, naturally brewed, unfiltered and unpasteurised vinegar. He kai he ronogā, he rongoā he kai!
Hapī Apple Cider Vinegar Soda's Master Recipe
- 1 Part Cider Vinegar
- 2 Part Natural Sweetener (eg. Agave Syrup, Maple, Apple Syrup, Yacon or Rice Syrup)
- Lemon Juice and/or Citric Acid to taste
Mix all ingredients together and bottle in a clean glass bottle. You can increase the proportion of cider vinegar to 1:1 if you like a sharper flavoured soda, it also depends on the quality and taste of your cider vinegar, we always taste as we go to get the flavour we want.
Store in the fridge indefinitely but shake before use. To serve - Fill a glass with ice and soda water and pour over syrup at a 1:5 dilution or to taste.
Photo: Hapi Organic Cafe & Maara
Hapī flavours for you to try:
Raspberry Shrub - How to grow rangatahi appreciation for healthy kai? Homemade raspberry shrub! Steep the raspberries (you could also use blackberries, blackcurrants, boysonberries…) in vinegar in a covered jug on the bench overnight, making sure that the vinegar just covers the berries.
The vinegar will draws the flavour out. Add agave, lemon juice and citric acid and stir to combine. At Hapī we don’t strain our raspberries out of the syrup because we like the way they look and taste in the soda.
Also you can add a dash of rosewater to the recipe for Rose & Raspberry Shrub.
Photo: Hapi Organic Cafe & Maara
Apple Soda - New Zealand grown organic apple syrup is an affordable homegrown alternative to maple syrup and honey. The soda is literally 1 part apple cider vinegar and 2 parts apple syrup with citric acid to taste. This soda is our go-to for a quick & easy rehydrate.
Photo: Hapi Organic Cafe & Maara
Creaming Soda - We love this soda but it is pretty luxurious with the price of maple syrup! 1 part cider vinegar and 2 parts maple syrup with vanilla extract to taste.
Photo: Hapi Organic Cafe & Maara
Hapi's healing Turmeric Tonic - Super easy to make at home if you have a Cold Pressed Juicer. Mix 1 Part Cold Pressed Organic Turmeric Root, 1 Part freshly squeezed Lemon Juice, 2 Parts Manuka Honey (We are lucky enough to get pails of high UMF manuka honey from our cousin at RARE).
Add a dash of Cayenne to increase bioavailability of the curcumin which is the active ingredient of turmeric. Serve with hot water like a lemon honey drink or serve cold with soda water over ice.
Photo: Hapi Organic Cafe & Maara
