First juicing experiment of the year

I was given a brand new Breville Fountain Plus juicer the other day. I wasn’t looking for one, but I figured it’d be a fast way to use up excess fruits and vegetables that mysteriously accumulate in the fridge. I’ll also be able to incorporate the leftover pulp stuff like sauces and baked goods. Failing that, the pulp can be tipped into the vermicomposter.

Today I took the juicer for a whirl: I gathered whatever fruit I had in the fridge and ended up with 2 kiwis, 2 oranges, 1 1/2 Granny Smith apples and 1 lemon on the chopping board. I wasn’t sure what it would taste like but the result was, for lack of a better word, bright. It was also a little tart for an empty stomach so I smoothed it out with some agave, about one heaping tablespoon. Served with an ice cube or two, it made a great post jog energizer.

As for the machine, it’s a centrifugal type juicer that’s able to turn hard fruit into dry pulp. I like how the chute is large enough to fit an apple unless it’s unusually huge. But the pulp from soft fruits are a bit too wet for my liking. Next time I’ll try running the soft pulp through a second time to see if I coax more liquid out. I’m not a juicing expert but, perhaps a slower juicing mode would be more suitable for softer fruit.

The machine was easy to use and the parts were easy to clean. Now the entire assembly has a place on my counter. I plan on making it a cozy to keep dust at bay, but I’ll hopefully be using it often enough so that doesn’t happen. I hope to be able to recreate the Tonique from Aux Vivres, which shouldn’t be hard; apple, lemon and ginger for that zesty zing!