Adam's Delight and Air Jeruk: How to Make These Mixed Drinks and Their Origins

If you are a true drink enthusiast, then half the fun of making a drink is discovering its origin. 'Adam's Delight' from Sri Lanka, and Air Jeruk from Indonesia are two such examples.

In the beautiful clear tropical nights of January and February, the Ceylonese proceed in long torchlight processions up the hill to their mythical Adam's Peak. The story goes that Adam was supposed to have stood on this peak for thousands of years on one leg filled with regret and mourning for the lost paradise. You can still see his footsteps after an exhausting climb up 5000 steps. The Pilgrims murmur prayers, drums roll, the depression in the rock is lined with flowers, this is a spiritual site. It makes you wish that Adam could have enjoyed the drink which bears his name during his thousand year penance.

Finely chopped flesh of one mango

Crushed ice

4cl (3 tablespoons) mango syrup

4cl (3 tablespoons) lime juice

1/2 teaspoon sugar (more, if required)

1 pinch dried vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated zest of lime

2-3 ice cubes

To garnish: 1 slice of lime

Purée the flesh of the mango. Put crushed ice in shaker, add mango syrup, lime juice, sugar, vanilla and grated zest of lime and shake thoroughly. Put mango purée into a cool tumbler, sieve the mixture from the shaker over this and stir through again with bar spoon. Add ice cubes, garnish with a slice of lime and serve with a straw. A drink for warm days which can be served at any time.

Air Jeruk is another origin drink. Everyone should have the opportunity of drinking hot fruit juices in very hot countries at least once, so that from then on, one can drink it in preference to all other refreshing drinks. In one Indonesian health manual, it says that "they take the heat out of the sting, the burn out of the sun and the weight off the humidity and the breathlessness out of the air". And continues, "the aroma of mace and the scent of aloe vera send love into the hearts of the thirsty". With the lack of mace and aloe vera the love potion is however somewhat lacking, but it still tastes excellent, nevertheless.

2-3 large oranges

3 teaspoons sugar

1/4 sick of cinammon (2-3cm or 1inch)

3 cloves

To garnish: a little grated nutmeg

Squeeze juice from oranges and bring the juice and sugar, cinnamon and cloves to the boil and a flameproof earthenware or glass pan and leave to draw for 10 minutes. Strain into a heatproof class, sprinkle with nutmeg and serve hot at any time of day.