How to Make TikTok's Jam-and-Sparkling-Water Drink

TikTok's Jam-and-Sparkling-Water Drink Makes a Delicious Summer Mocktail

17 May 2022 by Chanel Vargas

@katchaomeow
Reply to @jocelyn.mp4 genius idea and now my new summer drink 🍹 #easydrinkrecipe
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TikTok's new obsession is an unexpected take on a mocktail that involves a curious food combo: jam and sparkling water. In a video posted on May 2, Kat Chao, who goes by katchaomeow on TikTok, replicated the drink originally invented by TikTok user jocelyn.mp4 using raspberry lychee preserves and a can of lime LaCroix. "This combo sounds like a dream, so let's try it," Chao tells the camera, before mixing up a drink that looks way better than it sounds. In a later video, Chao adds a splash of vodka to the drink, resulting in an easy cocktail that takes just seconds to make. Feeling adventurous, I decided to taste-test the interesting food combo for myself.

The recipe is simple: one can of sparkling water and a scoop of jam. The flavour combinations here are infinite, but if it's your first time trying the drink, I highly recommend sticking with your favourites — whether that's blackberry-flavoured seltzer and strawberry jelly, orange sparkling water and peach preserves, or pineapple seltzer and grape jelly. For my taste test, I reached for what I had on hand: cherry-blossom LaCroix and blueberry-strawberry preserve.

Resisting the urge to pop the spoonful of jam directly in my mouth, I got to work, adding the jelly to a mason jar filled with ice. Seeing a glob of jam in my drink wasn't exactly appetizing at first, but after I poured the sparkling water and stirred the drink — the ice definitely helped break down the jelly — it started to take on a twilight shade of pink that immediately evoked a warm summer sunset.

@katchaomeow
✨costco size✨ is necessary #easydrinkrecipe #asmr
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My main concern going in was the jelly, but it added a subtle hint of sweetness that instantly turned the mixer into a refreshing summer mocktail. The cherry-blossom flavour was a little overpowering at first, but once I got the jam-to-LaCroix ratio just right, the drink was surprisingly tasty. Taking the experiment a step further, I added a squeeze of lemon juice, which made the "jam water" tart, sweet, and 10 times more delicious. A few springs of mint could also go a long way here.

Was it worth using up a perfectly good spoonful of jam that could have been transformed into a batch of peanut-butter-and-jelly cookies? Debatable. But if you're looking for an easy-to-make yet visually impressive drink to serve your friends at your next backyard BBQ or pool party, this might be your new go-to.

See how Chao mixes her "jam drinks" here, and find out exactly how to make the refreshing mocktail for yourself ahead.

TikTok's Jam and Sparkling Water Drink

https://www.tiktok.com/@katchaomeow/video/7093272814131842350

Ingredients

1 heaping tablespoon of your jam of choice
1 can sparkling water
Ice cubes (optional)
Squeeze of lemon (optional)

Directions

Fill a glass with ice.
Add a heaping spoonful of your favorite jam.
Crack open a can of sparkling water and pour it over the jam.
For a cocktail, use hard seltzer instead of sparkling water or add a splash of vodka to the drink.
Using a spoon or straw, stir the jam until it has fully dissolved into the sparkling water. Enjoy!