I love having citrus water ready and waiting for whenever I want to fill a glass for myself or quests. Whether it’s with oranges or lemons…or sometimes even cucumber doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I drink plenty of it every day. I love how refreshing it looks on my counter and since I don’t care for really cold, refrigerated water, I like keeping it out as long as possible…and here’s the problem. Once water has cut fruit in it, it can only be left at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours or so before the fruit turns rancid.

So the question is how do we serve and maintain citrus water?

1. Keep citrus water refrigerated until ready to serve: great if you like your water really cold

2. Keep citrus water at room temperature for only a few hours at a time and refrigerate the rest of the time

3. Keep water only at room temperature with cut fruit on the side and add fruit to individual glasses: this is what we do in restaurant service

4. Keep citrus water at room temperature for 2 or 3 hours then add ice cubes to bring down the temperature without making it too cold.

5. Keep citrus water on the counter but refreshed with ice cubes at all times.

6. Make small batches: only what you’ll drink in a few hours then rinse and repeat with water and fresh fruit.

Seems like a lot of thought to go into the dressing up and serving of water but if you’ve ever tasted and had to through out a pitch full of water filled with beautiful cut fruit because it’s rancid…you’d certainly be looking for another way to store your favorite daily drink.