Unsweet Fuze Iced Tea

Cranberry

Lemonade

Ginger Ale

Diet Coke

Dr Pepper

Fanta

Sprite

Coca-Cola

SPICY COTTAGE CHEESE

COLLARD GREENS + COTTAGE CHEESE

Cottage cheese-ricotta hybrid with a soft, crumbly texture, served to cool and balance spicy dishes

COTTAGE CHEESE

HUMUS SAUCE

AWAZE SAUCE

Your choice of Tibs with balsamic rice mixed with peas, carrots, lima beans, and mild spices

QUNTA/BEEF JERKY

Tibs mixed with shredded bits of injera plus spicy berbere sauce

FIR FIR

Classic Ethiopian platter with your choice of Tibs, Kitfo, and five vegan sides all served with injera bread + homemade cottage cheese + house salad

HABESHA MEAT & VEG SAMPLER

Lean beef cubes and collard green mixed with various mild spices and sauces

GOMEN BESGA

Both Sega Wot Key + Sega Wot Alecha on one plate

MESTO

Lean beef cubes + potatoes + garlic + ginger + onions + mild turmeric

SEGA WOT ALECHA

Lean beef cubes + garlic + ginger + onions + spicy berbere sauce into a deep flavored stew

SEGA WOT KEY

Butternut squash simmered with garlic + ginger + onions + spicy berbere sauce

DUBA WOT

Beets and potatoes gently cooked with garlic + ginger + onions + mild spices

KEYSER

Collard greens + garlic + ginger + onions + mild spices

GOMEN

Bring 8 cups of fresh filtered water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan.

Boil water

Place 4 black tea bags and the optional orange pekoe bag into a heatproof pitcher. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags. Cover and steep for 4 minutes for a clear, balanced black tea base (steep up to 6 minutes for stronger body).

Steep tea

After 2 minutes of steeping, add 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus petals (or a hibiscus tea bag) to the pitcher so it infuses alongside the black tea for a tart, fruity dimension. Do not exceed 6 minutes total steep time to avoid excessive bitterness.

Add hibiscus

After the chosen steep time, remove all tea bags and strain out the hibiscus petals and any loose leaves into a heatproof bowl or another pitcher.

Remove solids

While the tea is still warm (not boiling), add thin strips of lemon peel, orange peel, and the optional thin apple slices. Let these infuse in the warm tea for 10–15 minutes to release essential oils and gentle fruit flavor without adding sweetness.

After 10–15 minutes of infusion, remove and discard the peels and apple slices (or leave a few slices in the pitcher if you prefer a stronger fruit presence).

While the tea is still slightly warm, stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor. If you want a slightly more rounded tang similar to some commercial iced teas, add 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar; stir to combine.

Taste and adjust: if the tea tastes too flat, add another 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. If it is too sharp, dilute with up to 1 cup cold water.

Cool the tea to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then refrigerate uncovered until chilled, at least 1 hour. For faster cooling, place the pitcher in an ice bath.

When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice (about 3/4 cup per glass). Pour the chilled tea over ice. Add a lemon slice and a mint sprig to each glass for garnish.

Serve immediately. Leftover unsweet iced tea will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir gently before serving if separation or sediment appears.

water

black tea bags (or loose-leaf black tea, 2 tsp per bag)

orange pekoe or assam tea bag (optional for fuller body)

dried hibiscus petals (or 1 hibiscus tea bag)

lemon peel (thin strips, removed with a vegetable peeler)

orange peel (thin strips)

apple slices (thin, optional for subtle sweetness)

fresh lemon juice

white or apple cider vinegar (optional, for brightness)

lemon slices (for garnish)

mint sprigs (optional garnish)

Rinse the cranberries under cold water in a colander, discarding any soft or damaged berries. Measure out the sugar, water, orange juice, and other aromatics so everything is ready.

Rinse and prep

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just begins to simmer (about 2–3 minutes).

Combine and simmer

Add the rinsed cranberries to the sugar-water along with the orange juice and orange zest. Return to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most cranberries have burst and the sauce thickens, about 8–12 minutes.

Cook cranberries

Stir in the ground cinnamon, grated ginger, and a pinch of kosher salt. Taste and, if desired, add maple syrup for extra sweetness. Simmer for another 1–2 minutes to meld flavors, then remove from heat.

Season and finish

Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature; it will thicken as it cools. If you prefer a smoother texture, pulse the cooled mixture briefly in a food processor or blend with an immersion blender to the desired consistency. If too thick, stir in 1–2 tbs water or orange juice to loosen.

Cool and adjust texture

Serve the cranberry sauce at room temperature or chilled. Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Serve or store

Stir-ins: Fold in chopped crystallized ginger and toasted pecans just before serving for crunch and extra flavor. If using maple syrup, add it in the 'Season and finish' step and taste to balance sweetness.

fresh cranberries

granulated sugar

orange juice (freshly squeezed)

orange zest

ground cinnamon

freshly grated ginger

kosher salt

maple syrup

toasted chopped pecans

crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once the sugar has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear (about 2–3 minutes), remove from heat.

Make the simple syrup

Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. You can speed this by transferring to a heatproof jar and placing in the fridge for 15–20 minutes. Refrigerate any unused syrup in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Roll the lemons on the counter with your palm to soften them. Cut in half and juice until you have 1 cup (about 6–8 lemons). Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer a smoother drink.

Juice the lemons

In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 cup), 1 cup of the cooled simple syrup, and 4 cups cold water. Stir well and taste.

Combine ingredients

If the lemonade is too sweet, add additional cold water, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired brightness is reached. If too tart, add up to 1/4 cup more simple syrup. Add a pinch of salt if you want to brighten the flavor subtly.

Adjust sweetness and flavor

Add 2 cups of ice to the pitcher or fill individual glasses with ice. Pour the lemonade over ice, garnish with lemon slices and optional mint sprigs. Serve immediately. Leftover lemonade can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; stir or shake before serving as separation may occur.

Chill and serve

fresh lemon juice (about 6-8 lemons)

cold water

simple syrup (from above)

ice cubes

fresh mint sprigs (optional, for garnish)

salt (optional, to brighten flavor)

Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 4 oz sliced fresh ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 2 whole cloves (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Make syrup

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and let gently simmer for 8–10 minutes to extract ginger flavor.

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Let the syrup steep for 15–20 minutes off the heat for more intensity.

Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, pressing the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Cool syrup to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Yields about 1 to 1 1/4 cups syrup.

Fill 4 tall glasses with 1/2 cup ice each (about 2 cups total ice). For each serving (makes 4), add 2 tablespoons chilled ginger syrup per 8-ounce glass.

Pour and mix

Top each glass with 1 cup (8 fl oz) chilled club soda or sparkling water. Gently stir once to combine so carbonation isn't lost.

Garnish each glass with a lemon or lime slice and a mint sprig if desired. Taste and adjust: add additional syrup (1/2–1 tbsp) for sweeter, stronger ginger flavor, or more soda for milder.

Serve immediately. Store leftover ginger syrup refrigerated for up to 2 weeks; shake before using.

fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

whole cloves (optional)

chilled club soda or sparkling water

fresh lime or lemon slices

mint sprigs (optional)

Chill a highball or tall glass in the refrigerator for a few minutes if possible. Fill the glass about three-quarters full with ice cubes (approximately 1 cup).

Chill and Fill

Measure 1.5 fl oz of cola-flavored diet syrup and pour it directly over the ice in the glass.

Add Syrup

Slowly pour 12 fl oz of chilled carbonated water down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation and minimize foaming. Pour gently so the syrup and water mix evenly without excessive fizz.

Add Carbonation

Taste the drink. If you prefer a slightly sweeter profile, add up to 0.25 tsp of a calorie-free liquid sweetener (e.g., liquid stevia) and stir gently once to incorporate. Adjust to taste.

Optional Sweetness Adjustment

If desired, run a lime or lemon wedge around the rim and drop the wedge into the drink or serve it on the side.

Garnish

Serve immediately while cold and carbonated. Dispose of any leftover beverage that has gone flat to preserve expected flavor and mouthfeel.

carbonated water (chilled)

cola-flavored syrup (diet, sugar-free)

lime wedge

lemon wedge

calorie-free sweetener (if desired, e.g., liquid stevia)

Combine granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and light corn syrup in a small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water — just enough to dissolve the sugars. Warm the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until all sugars dissolve and mixture is clear and slightly thickened (2–4 minutes). Do not boil vigorously. Remove from heat.

Make concentrated syrup

Stir the vanilla extract, amaretto or almond extract, cherry juice or grenadine, citrus oil or the finely grated zest of 1/4 lemon/orange (about 1/4 tsp), a pinch of salt, and the cola bitters (if using) into the warm syrup. Taste and adjust: if you want a stronger cherry note, add up to another 1/4 tsp grenadine; for more almond, add a tiny extra drop of extract. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (10–15 minutes).

Flavor the syrup

Measure out 2 cups (about 480 ml) of chilled carbonated water. To one serving, stir in 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml) of the prepared syrup into the carbonated water. Adjust sweetness/strength by adding more syrup 1/4 teaspoon at a time until desired balance is reached. (The recipe quantities above produce a small batch of syrup sufficient for about 6–8 servings when diluted at roughly 2 Tbsp per 8 fl oz.)

Combine with carbonated water

If you prefer a single large glass instead of two cups, scale: use 8 fl oz (1 cup) carbonated water with 1 Tbsp syrup as a starting point.

Pour the soda prepared above over the ice. Give the glass a gentle stir to combine without flattening the carbonation.

Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon or lime wedge on the rim. Serve immediately cold.

carbonated water

dark brown sugar

corn syrup (light)

vanilla extract

amaretto or almond extract

cherry juice or grenadine (for cherry note)

cola bitters (optional, for depth)

mild citrus oil or orange zest

salt

maraschino cherry (optional)

lemon or lime wedge (optional)

Combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved (about 3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Make simple syrup

While the syrup cools, zest one orange to get the orange zest (about 1 tsp). Juice fresh oranges until you have 1 cup of orange juice, then strain to remove pulp if a clearer soda is desired. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the orange juice and stir.

Prepare citrus

In a pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup, the orange-lemon juice mixture, orange zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon citric acid if using. Stir until fully incorporated. If you want the classic bright color, add 1–2 drops of orange food coloring and stir. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity: add more syrup for sweetness or up to another 1/2 teaspoon citric acid for tang.

Combine flavor base

Slowly add 3 cups chilled carbonated water to the flavor base and stir gently once or twice to combine. Do not vigorously stir to preserve carbonation. Taste and adjust—if it's too sweet, add a splash more carbonated water; if too flat, use fresher chilled soda water.

Finish with carbonation

Fill glasses with ice cubes (about 1/2 cup ice per serving). Pour the prepared Fanta-style soda over the ice, dividing evenly. Garnish each glass with an orange slice and a mint sprig. Serve immediately chilled.

fresh orange juice

lemon juice (fresh)

citric acid (optional, for tang)

orange food coloring (optional)

orange slices

mint sprigs

Combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup filtered cold water in a small saucepan. Add the lemon and lime zests. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just comes to a simmer (do not boil vigorously). Once the sugar is fully dissolved, remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes to extract the citrus oils from the zests.

Make simple citrus syrup

Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl to remove the zests. Stir in the fresh lemon and lime juices. Taste and adjust: if you want it sweeter, add up to 1 tablespoon more sugar and stir until dissolved (you can warm briefly off heat). Let the syrup cool to room temperature (about 10–15 minutes).

If using ice and chilled glassware, fill the serving glass with ice now and set aside. For a very crisp result, use chilled club soda and a cold glass.

Chill glass and ice (optional)

In the serving glass or a pitcher, add 2 tablespoons of the cooled citrus syrup (about 30 ml) per 8 oz (1 cup) of club soda. For this recipe's 2 cups of club soda, add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of syrup. Stir gently to combine so as not to flatten the carbonation. Taste and adjust: add more syrup for sweeter, more citrus-forward soda or more club soda for milder flavor.

Combine soda and syrup

Garnish the drink with a lemon wheel, lime wheel, and a sprig of mint if desired. Serve immediately while fizzy.

Club soda or sparkling water

Filtered cold water

Granulated sugar

Fresh lemon juice

Fresh lime juice

Lemon zest (finely grated)

Lime zest (finely grated)

Ice (optional)

Lemon wheel or wedge

Lime wheel or wedge

Fresh mint sprig (optional)

Chill a tall glass in the refrigerator for a few minutes if desired. Add 6–8 ice cubes to the glass to keep the drink cold without diluting it too quickly.

Chill and prepare glass

Open a chilled can or bottle of Coca‑Cola. Slowly pour 1 cup (about 240 ml) of Coca‑Cola over the ice to preserve carbonation and minimize foaming. If serving more than one person, adjust quantity proportionally (see servings).

Pour

If you like, rub the rim of the glass with a lime wedge and drop the wedge or a lemon slice into the drink for a touch of citrus. Stir gently once to combine flavors.

Garnish (optional)

Coca‑Cola (chilled)

Ice cubes

Lime wedge (optional)

Lemon slice (optional)

Peel and finely mince the 2 garlic cloves. Remove seeds from the jalapeño if you want milder heat, then finely mince it. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil, add minced garlic and jalapeño, and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned to mellow raw bite. Remove from heat.

Mince and Toast

Combine dry spices: in a small bowl mix 1 tsp red chili flakes, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Stir in 1 tsp hot sauce and the warmed garlic-jalapeño oil mixture so spices bloom and meld.

In a medium bowl, add 2 cups cottage cheese and 1 cup Greek yogurt. Use a fork, spoon, or an immersion blender to combine to your desired texture: lightly mashed for chunkier spread or blended for smooth, creamy consistency. If using a blender or food processor, pulse briefly (6–8 pulses) to avoid over-smoothing.

Add the spiced oil-and-spice mixture to the cottage cheese-yogurt base. Pour in 2 tbs fresh lime juice, 1 tsp honey (optional), and 1 tsp hot sauce if you prefer more heat. Stir thoroughly to combine and taste for seasoning; adjust salt, pepper, or hot sauce as needed.

Unsweet Fuze Iced Tea

Cranberry

Lemonade

Ginger Ale

Diet Coke

Dr Pepper

Fanta

Sprite

Coca-cola

Spicy Cottage Cheese

Collard Greens + Cottage Cheese

Cottage Cheese

Humus Sauce

Awaze Sauce

Qunta/beef Jerky

Fir Fir

Habesha Meat & Veg Sampler

Gomen Besga

Mesto

Sega Wot Alecha

Sega Wot Key

Duba Wot

Keyser

Gomen