SANBWA booklet shows how bottled water enhances fine dining

Johannesburg – 29 October 2008 – A booklet called Water on the Table and distributed by the South African National Bottled Water Association (SANBWA), provides guidelines regarding the etiquette involved in serving bottled water as part of a gourmet meal as well as advice on how best to match certain water tastes with particular dishes.

Throughout history water has been the first beverage served with a meal and the last to be removed from the table at the end of a meal. And, like wine, there are strong traditions associated with the way water should be served.

The traditions arose because original municipal waters, such as those brought across thousands of kilometres in aqueducts to the great cities of the ancient world, were not chemically treated as they are today and so municipal water then was in fact mineral water. The nature of the rock strata through which the source water travelled before it was tapped by the ancient civilisations dictated how the water tasted.

That, in turn, dictated how the food that you cooked with it would taste – making water a form of seasoning! And, of course, the taste of the water that you drank as part of your meal made a difference to the way your palate experienced the food you ate.

Today, of course, mineral water is available only in bottled form – and varies as much in flavour as it did 2 000 years ago. So there is an art in serving bottled natural, spring, or mineral water to your guests in order to enrich their experience of every aspect of your meal.

For example, according to Water on the Table, you would serve water with a low mineral content with a salad – because its freshness on the palate would make the crisp, clean taste of the salad more evident.

Water on the Table explains that the flavour of a water depends on three factors: the level of pH in the water (a pH of 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline); the amount and ratio of dissolved minerals and other trace elements (called Total Dissolved Solids or TDS); and the amount of carbon dioxide or effervescence (bubbles).

Water with low mineral content has low taste levels – but is refreshing. “A water with high calcium and magnesium levels has a broad and full bodied taste profile, whereas those with high levels of potassium, magnesium and sulphate leave a pleasantly bitter taste in the mouth.”

As with wine, learning to recognise the various tastes and understand their role in a meal requires some quite specific but not difficult techniques. Keeping effervescent water at room temperature, for example, slows the bubbles down, “releasing the aromas and flavours of the water so that they are more readily revealed to the taster.”

The shape and weight of the glass from which you taste the water is also important. A stemless glass allows the heat of the hand to warm the water slightly so that aromas and flavours become more prominent. A slender rim ensures a smooth transition of the water from the glass to the mouth, “giving a clearer tasting experience”.

The booklet goes on to explain the actual tasting technique and the kinds of flavours that one would expect from waters bottled in different regions of the country.

There are also clear descriptions of the three categories of bottled water: natural mineral or spring water, water defined by origin (including snow and mist water), and prepared waters (which may originate with municipal water and have been treated in some way). Guidelines on table settings to accommodate both sparkling and still bottled waters are included.

If you would like a copy of the booklet, please contact SANBWA on 011 884 5916 or sanbwa_cg@worldonline.co.za
ENDS.

About Sanbwa

Founded in 1997, the South African National Bottled Water Association (Sanbwa) represents 10 producers of bottled water who, collectively, produce 80% of the bottled water consumed in South Africa. Members bottle both natural water, at source from underground aquifers, and prepared water, purified by processes in strict accordance with legislation. Sanbwa’s mandate is to help members - through affiliation with international bottled water associations, the production of practical guidelines, and input to legislation – to maintain world class production facilities that ensure the safety and quality of their water.

The Sanbwa logo used by members on their packaging is therefore a seal of quality – enabling consumers to make a clear choice of product.

ENDS.