Don't worry about the murky green liquid. It's Cha Cha Chow's Basil Lime Agua Fresca, not something that was skimmed from a pond. Sure, it might sound a little weird, drinking an herb best known for pesto. Think of it as basil herb tea, if you must. People drink steeped herbs all the time.
When they do, those teas don't pack the flavor wallop of this Mexican-influenced brew of water, sugar, fruit and herbs. The flavor begins with a hit of basil so strong that the brain immediately prepares for the savory garlic and olive oil of pesto.
But no! Just when you think it's savory, in comes the pucker of clean, fresh lime juice.
Served chilled with lots of ice to clear the brew, this agua fresca's overall effect is light, cool and very green. There's just enough sugar to soften strong basil and lime flavors, but not enough to make it cloying. Think of it as fresh Kool-Aid for grown-ups, perfect for rehydrating and cutting the haze of a humid summer day with a burst of flavor much more interesting than Purple.
Cha Cha Chow changes agua fresca flavors daily. It reveals the day's flavors every morning on its Twitter feed, @whereschacha.
