Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a friend or a loved one, this cranberry apple spritzer for deux  is my way of showing my love this February 14th. Why is that? Because it’s the one way I can express my love for Germany.

Although I am back in Seattle and at times, go through moments of reverse culture shock and deep thought, I LOVE Hannover, Germany (Ich Liebe Hannover!) deep down to the bottom of my heart. Germany refreshed my sense of life, vigor and well-being and gave me an entirely new outlook on life after getting beaten down and drained by trying to live the American Dream as a writer and “info-preneur.”

So, there is no better way to celebrate the day of love (in my book) than with a German-inspired apfel (apple) schorle hinted with love (cranberry). If you’ve ever been to Germany, you know that the Apfel Schorle is amazing and is one of Germany’s signature drinks.

It’s simple and easy – apple juice mixed with sparkling mineral water.

For this recipe, I used Trader Joe’s 100% cranberry juice, unfiltered organic apple juice and sparkling mineral water. You can certainly use fresh squeezed apple juice to enhance the freshness. There are many ways to play around with making a spritzer. One way is to make it taste like a flavored water. The other is to make it taste like a carbonated juice. Either way, its simple and easy. I prefer more apple flavor than cranberry, but you can adjust accordingly.

And to kiss my pictures with a bit of German love, I shipped home these flowers I dried in Hannover, except the berries that came from a tree in Coventry in Cleveland. Somehow even the small roses made a heart, which I to you, send you all the love in the world this holiday! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 + 1 tbsp cup apple juice*
1/3 cup 100% cranberry juice*
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sparkling mineral water

Directions:
Place ingredients into a pitcher and stir with a spoon. Adjust the flavor by adding an additional teaspoon of each flavor.  Serve chilled.
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*Note: Best to use organic and 100% juices that do not add sugar or water.

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