In a large bowl, combine the rice, almonds, cinnamon stick and hot water. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pour the mixture into a blender, add the 1 c. sugar and blend on high speed until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Line a chinois or other fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and set over a clean bowl. Pour the mixture through the sieve and press on the solids until only a dry pulp remains. Pour the liquid into a pitcher, add the 2 cups cold water, taste and add a little more sugar, if needed. Pour into ice-filled tall glasses.

• Red Delicious: Large, firm red apple with a sweet flavor.
• Yellow Delicious: Large, firm yellow apple with a sweet flavor.
• Jonathon: Medium, crisp semitart apple, with red near the top, descending to green lower down the fruit.
• Granny Smith: Medium/small, crisp, tart apple with green color.
• Gala: Medium, crisp semitart apple with yellow skin blushed with orange to red tinge.

Choose a blend from the above list, or shop the local produce/fruit market or grocery store shelves. If you lean toward a sweet juice, use a 3 sweet to 1 tart combination, or for medium sweetness, use a 2 sweet to 1 tart mix.

Clean your apples thoroughly, cutting out any bruises or damaged parts. As a rule, it is not recommended to use any fruit for cider you would not eat as it is.

Quarter the apples, leaving the skins on them for color and the nutrients that processing will release.

Puree the apple quarters in a food processor or blender completely.

Squeeze the pureed apple through a cheesecloth, extracting all of the juice possible. Store the cider in a sealed container below 40 degrees F for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for extended storage.

Tips

• Choose a variety of apples, and process each separately, then combine the juice to sample different flavors and see the difference in the colors you may produce using golden, green, and red apples.
• Thoroughly process the apples and squeeze all liquid through the cheesecloth to get all the juice with its nutrients from your fruit. Some solids will get through the cheesecloth, and the juice will have a cloudy appearance.
• For large batches of cider, you may choose to buy a cider press.
• Caution: pasteurize juice by heating to at least 160 F but not more than 185 F to destroy harmful bacteria such as e. coli. Use a food thermometer to determine the temperature. Infants, the elderly, and anyone with immune system disorders should NOT drink fresh unpasteurized apple juice.
  
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• Blackberry Iced Tea
  
  

  3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (if frozen, thaw before using), plus additional berries for garnish
  1 1/4 cups of sugar, or agave syrup (more or less to taste)
  1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint plus additional sprigs for garnish
  Pinch of baking soda
  6 bags of black tea
  4 cups boiling water
  2 1/2 cups cold water
  Ice

  In a large pitcher, combine the blackberries and sugar. Use a wooden spoon to crush the berries and mix them well with the sugar. Add the chopped mint and the baking soda. Set aside. Place the tea in a large heat-proof measuring cup. Add the boiling water and steep for 3 minutes. Spoon out the tea bags and squeeze them into the tea. Discard the tea bags. Pour the tea into the blackberry/sugar mixture. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Pour the tea through a mesh strainer and discard the solids. Return the tea to the pitcher. Add cold water and stir well to dissolve sugar. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Makes about 7 1/2 cups. Start to finish time is 1 hour and 10 minutes (10 minutes active). To serve, pour into glasses filled with ice and garnish with mint and fresh berries on short wooden skewers.

  
  
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• Island Fruit Smoothie
  
  1 small banana, peeled and cut into chunks
  2 tablespoons coconut milk
  2 tablespoons lime juice
  1/4 cup orange juice
  1/4 cup pineapple juice
  1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
  3 ice cubes

  In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

  
  
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• Mangoade
  
  2 cups ripe mango coarsely chopped
  1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
  2 cups orange juice
  1/4 cup lime or lemon juice
  2 cups cold water
  1 teaspoon grated orange rind

  Combine all ingredients except orange rind in a blender and blend on high speed for about 30 seconds. Strain and pour into a pitcher. Sprinkle with orange rind and serve in 8-ounce tumblers or goblets with 2 or 3 ice cubes in each.

   

  
  
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• Orange Banana Smoothie
  
  1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (4 oranges)
  1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  1 cup strawberries, tops removed, and cut in 1/2
  1 to 1-1/2 ripe bananas

  Combine the orange juice, lime juice, strawberries, and banana in a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until cold.

  
  
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• Tropical-blend Smoothie
  
  

  The best smoothies are made with very ripe fruit. Mango, pineapple and banana team up with light coconut milk in this one.

  1 very ripe banana, sliced
  1 cup diced pitted peeled fresh mango (from about 1 small)
  1 cup diced peeled fresh pineapple
  1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
  1/2 cup canned light unsweetened coconut milk
  1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

  Arrange banana, mango and pineapple in single layer on baking sheet. Cover and freeze until fruit is frozen solid, about 2 hours.

  Combine pineapple juice, coconut milk and lime juice in blender. Add frozen fruit. Blend until mixture is thick and smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

  
  
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