Water Snobs

B prefers sparkling to still and I have taken sips and always said it tastes yucky till now. I was intrigued about the appeal of sparkling water and decided to do some research. Now I like San Pellegrino with a slice of lemon or even better with some Ribena in it. I know I must be adulterating it, but it tastes so much better that way. I guess I haven’t quite acquired the taste for sparkling yet.

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

The water comes from a spring or mineral water basin in the Italian alps. The water is mineralized through contact with the rocks. There is even a town called San Pellegrino Terme which is pretty near Milan.

And here are the cutest water snobs who have acquired the taste for San Pe as it’s called.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jaB0Hj6KqA]

There is Perrier which comes from the Vergèze spring in the South of France. I thought that San Pellegrino and Perrier were competitors but they are both owned by Nestle.

photo by bookjunkie

I have always wondered if sparkling water was sparkling from the very onset or whether carbon dioxide had been introduced. What I found out was that the most sought after water was those that were naturally carbonated and due to certain geological conditions such as volcanic activity. These waters are said to have curative properties. The carbon dioxide helps the water absorb minerals in high levels.

Examples of naturally carbonated water include, Apollinaris, Badoit, Gerolsteiner, Wattwiller, Ferrarelle, Borsec with the magma giving out carbon dioxide. I found out that the famous San Pellegrino has carbonation added but the process has been refined for 600 years. What amazed me even more was that Leonardo da Vinci himself visited the town in 1509 to sample and examine the town’s “miraculous” water. The water is said to emerge from the springs at 22 degrees celcious, which must be the ideal temperature to drink the water I guess, although I would prefer my water chilled.

Perrier has a unique carbonation story. The water is distinguished by its natural carbonation, which comes from volcanic gases in the rock near the source. But as international demand for Perrier grew, the company improved efficiency by capturing the water and the carbonic gas separately. The two substances are taken from the same geological formation, but they are extracted at different depths; the gas is then filtered before being added to the water. When you open a bottle of Perrier, the level of carbonation matches that found at the spring exactly.

{Source: Finewaters}

 

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

I always imagined that distilled water was the healthiest form of water till I read this at Finewaters.

Because water is a universal solvent, rainwater collects particles and chemicals even as it’s falling. Geological strata only add more to the composition the minerals and trace elements of the local area give each water its distinct terroir. Underground geology may filter water for decades or even millennia; when the water finally emerges at the source, it may not be “pure,” but it is nevertheless clean and healthy. Clean, healthy water does not have to be pure. In fact, the waters with the most epicurean interest contain minerals and trace elements.

About bookjunkie

Blogging about life in Singapore & recently cancer too.
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15 Responses to Water Snobs

  1. ruth says:

    cool! haha i’m going to try some soon 😀

  2. thinkpinktoo says:

    I always pick sparkling water at restaurants, does that make me a water snob? 🙂

  3. Somehow Perrier from a can just doesn’t seem right! Very interesting post!

  4. I used to work in a design office where the entire staff was obsessed with “fancy” water. The designers would not drink anything else. The best part was when they would open a bottle, take a sip and then just leave it on their desk over night. I can’t tell you how many bottles our office went through a week…half of them unfinished. I like taking sparkling water and putting a splash of cranberry in it. Tasty!!!

  5. jannatwrites says:

    I didn’t know how the water got its carbonation, so it was interesting to learn that here. I prefer just plain old water (with lemon, of course), so I guess I can’t be considered a water snob 😉

  6. Lady J says:

    Nah, we’re not water snobs, just like having bubbly in our water! Another great insight to my fave drink – Sparkling water. Have you tried it with Apple Juice yet? That’s how I drink it at home ;p

  7. Monica Gwee says:

    TRY BORSEC, IT IS A VERY SPECIAL CARBONATED AND NON CARBONATED WATER. One of the best in Europe really!!

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