The Hungry Hounds is the food blog of Paul and Rebecca Shetler Fast, Country Representatives for Mennonite Central Committee in Haiti.  Learn more about MCC Haiti at their new blog: www.haitimcc.org.

We are back in Haiti with both a chattering toddler and tiny newborn in tow. On my bucket list of foods to enjoy before we left Indiana were the delicious peak-of-summer blueberries that lined our local farm stand. So I boiled up a batch of blueberry syrup to make into tall frosty glasses of Homemade Blueberry Soda; a thirst quencher on steamy summer days.

Yield: around 3 cups, or enough for 10-15 drinks, depending on the amount used

Blueberry syrup Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• juice of 1 lemon

Steps:

1. In a medium pot, bring blueberries and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Strain the blueberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the blueberry skins and seeds. I use a sturdy metal strainer over a small sized pot and use a metal spatula or the back of a sturdy ladle to press the liquid mixture through the sieve. Discard the blueberry seeds and skins.
3. Add sugar to the strained blueberry liquid and place on medium heat. Whisk briefly to dissolve the sugar.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the blueberry mixture from the heat, add the lemon juice, and cool.
5. Store the blueberry syrup in tightly sealed containers (canning jars work well) in the fridge for up to 1 month.
6. To make blueberry soda: Fill a glass with ice and add 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of the blueberry syrup. Fill the remainder of the cup with seltzer water/club soda, and stir to combine.

Notes:

• Because of the natural pectin in blueberries, this syrup thickens up nicely when it cools and is great on waffles or pancakes or on ice cream, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, etc.
• Feel free to play around with flavor additions to the blueberry syrup. Substitute lime for lemon and add a dash of vanilla after the syrup has cooked.