METHOD FOR USE IN PREPARING A DRINK

Description

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/489,693, filed on Nov. 29, 2004, and entitled, “Method for Use in Preparing a Drink,” which is a U.S. national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. §371 of international application no. PCT/GB02/04202, filed on Sep. 16, 2002, which claims the priority benefit of United Kingdom patent application No. 0122248.8 filed on Sep. 14, 2001. The aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This invention relates to a method for use in preparing a drink, to a product of the method, and to a drink employing the product.

There are available nowadays pure and natural herbal substances which, when they are introduced into a liquid, produce a pleasant and satisfying drink. These substances are sold for use in preparing what are known as herbal “teas”. The substances are generally material from plants, and include leaves, seeds and fruits.

Colourings are also known to be introduced into beverages to render these more attractive to customers. However, the quality, variety and selectability of such known colourings is disadvantageously limited.

One method to be described below, by way of example in illustration of the invention, includes the steps of introducing a herbal, and/or vegetable and/or fruit substance into a liquid, which is at an elevated temperature, for a period of, for example, five minutes, allowing the product of the infusion to cool, and then freezing the cooled infused liquid into easily separable ice blocks.

Preferably, the liquid comprises water which is heated to attain boiling point prior to the addition of the said substance. Once cooled, preferably to room temperature, the infusion is then filtered prior to use in the formation of the ice blocks.

The ice blocks, so formed, may be used to make an instant drink by adding them to hot water, or they may be used to cool a drink which has been prepared separately.

The ice blocks can advantageously be employed to impart colouring to the liquid to which they are added as and when required.

Alternatively, or in addition, the ice blocks can be employed to impart fragrance to a beverage.

In one particular illustrative method, a mixture of herbal substances is added to a container of pure spring water, which has been boiled and cooled to a temperature of 90° C., the infusion so produced being strained from the container and fed into ice-cube moulds, where it is frozen and kept in a refrigerator until it is needed for use in cooling a drink. Advantageously, the ratio of the infused product to liquid for forming the ice blocks is 100 ml to 2.2 litres.

Preferably, the step of filtration is conducted by means of a cotton filter, and preferably a 100% cotton filter.

It will be understood that varieties of the substances may be mixed in proportions which produce infusions of preferred colours and/or fragrances and, if required, flavours and also health benefits.

The infusions may, in another illustrative method, be bottled and sold in retail shops for customers to use in making ice cubes.

The temperature of the liquid in which the substances are infused may be adjusted to suit the substance in order to bring out colours and, if necessary, the oils and flavours to the best advantage.

In making the infusions it has been found beneficial to stir the contents of the container gently at intervals during the process of making the infusions.

It will be understood that, although particular arrangements, illustrative of the invention, have been described by way of example, variations and modifications thereof may be conceived as well as other arrangements.

Advantageously, the ice blocks, with their infused filtered content, provide means for colouring a drink in a particularly creative and aesthetic manner. A variety of ice blocks can be readily selected by a consumer for addition to a liquid in any order and/or combination required so as to arrive at an attractive drink. Importantly, the ice blocks of the present invention do not add any taste to the beverage whatsoever, although if required some degree of taste can also be imparted.

However, the method of the invention may be employed using other materials.

The range and intensity of the colours can be controlled through manipulation of the filtration process and infusion time employed.