My husband and I just returned home from a month-long bucket-list trip to Europe. We visited London, Paris, Rome, and then took a road trip up the Adriatic coast of Italy, from Puglia to Venice. In all of these cities, we kept seeing this juice as the go-to beverage for breakfast beside your coffee. Whether we were in restaurants, at B&Bs, or in grocery stores, this was everywhere. We had it every single morning and fell in love with it.
A combination of carrot, orange, and lemon juices with sugar and water added, this is called “ACE” because it boasts itself high in vitamins A, C, and E. I believe the vitamins are an enrichment in the juice rather than relying on the ingredients alone for this benefit. As far as I know, none of these are a great source of Vitamin E. So, when I give you this recipe, which is a very close approximation of the flavor we experienced, I’m not making the same nutritional claim. I am, however, providing you with a very tasty beverage that you can customize to your liking.
When we arrived home, this was the first thing I restocked my fridge with. Since it cannot be purchased in the USA except for way too much money in an online European goods shop, I made some. It took a few attempts to find the balance that reminded me of what we’d tasted in Europe. All the recipes I could find online required the use of a juicer or other complicated extraction processes I simply wasn’t interested in. So, I bought a bottle of Bolthouse Farms 100% carrot juice (in the refrigerator case with the fresh juices), a bottle of pulp-free orange juice, and a bag of lemons. Below is the ratio I settled on and now make regularly.
This is admittedly sugary, so if you’re trying to avoid that, feel free to adjust to your preference. What we loved about this when we enjoyed it in Europe was the smoothness. It was cool and refreshing without the acidic burn of the orange juice we’ve all grown up on. We almost always went back for a second glass. It was perfect for taking morning vitamins and refreshing the palette after cappuccino. If you have a juicer and wish to use it to make this beverage, there are many recipes on other blogs that will serve you. My goal was to find an easy way to get as close as possible to the flavor profile we enjoyed. Once I did, I just wanted to share it with you!
Ingredients
2 cups pulp-free orange juice
1 cup 100% carrot juice
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar (slightly rounded)
1 cup cold water
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a glass container with tight fitting lid (or blender). Shake or blend well. Refrigerate 2 hours or enjoy over ice.
For a refreshing summer treat, try adding a splash of this juice to your favorite iced tea with lots of ice and a sprig of fresh mint! If you make this, please let me know what you think in the comments. I’d love to see your variations on this one.
