Sparkling Winter Drink with Clementine and Pomegranate

Prepare all the tools: a citrus juicer, a fine mesh strainer, a measuring cup (ml), a pitcher, a muddler or wooden spoon, a bar spoon, 4 tall glasses with a capacity of about 300-350 ml, and a teaspoon. Make sure the sparkling water and ice are well chilled (water in the fridge at least 2°C, ice in the freezer).

Wash the clementines and rosemary under running water. Gently dry with a paper towel. Cut two clementines in half and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup; you should get about 240 ml of juice (from 3 medium clementines). If the juice is too thick or contains seeds, strain it through a fine sieve into a clean pitcher.

In a medium-sized bowl or jar, add 150 g of pomegranate seeds. Add 6 g of rosemary (crush the needles with your fingers or chop finely with a knife) and, if you want to sweeten, 30 g of agave syrup. Gently mix with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon for about 60-90 seconds — the goal is to release the juices from the seeds and the aroma of the rosemary, but without crushing the seeds into a pulp.

Cover the bowl or seal the jar and set aside for 10 minutes in a cool place (refrigerator or cool work surface). After this time, strain the contents through a fine sieve into a small saucepan or measuring cup, gently pressing with a spoon to extract the color and aroma — keep the liquid, discarding the larger remnants of skins and rosemary sprigs.

Measure 240 ml of freshly squeezed clementine juice (if there is more, you can use the excess for the next round). In the pitcher with the juice, pour in 30 ml of lime juice. Stir with a bar spoon for 10 seconds to combine the flavors.

Into each of the 4 tall glasses, add about 37 g of crushed ice (a total of 150 g for 4 glasses) — leave the rest of the ice for topping up when serving. Evenly pour 37.5 g of strained pomegranate macerate over the ice (a total of 150 g of macerate). The goal is to achieve an intense red base in each glass.

To the pitcher with the combined juice of clementines and lime, add the rest of the chilled sparkling water (about 350 ml) and gently stir with a spoon for 5 seconds — do this slowly to preserve as many bubbles as possible. Taste and adjust if necessary: if the drink is not sweet enough, add 5 g of agave syrup at a time.

Gently pour the mixture of juice and sparkling water into each glass, slowly pouring down the side of the glass so that the layer of pomegranate macerate remains at the bottom, while the sparkling layer gradually flows to the top. Each glass should be filled to about 90% of its volume (leave space for decoration).

Decorate each glass with a thin slice of clementine hanging on the rim, a small sprig of rosemary, and a few edible flowers on top. If you like, add a few pomegranate seeds on top for color contrast.

Serve immediately after preparation. For an extra effect, you can serve the drink with a small bowl of extra pomegranate seeds and a sprig of rosemary, so guests can season their glass themselves.