Being a writer, I spend long hours in front of the computer, working on books, research, blog posts and the like. I get rather tired of coffee and tea as refreshments.
I’ve used various bouillons as substitutes – meat, chicken, etc. – with good results. Miss D. and I particularly like the “Better Than Bouillon” range, and keep it in stock. However, I recently discovered another alternative that’s really taken my fancy, to the extent that I drink at least one cup of it every day. It’s Knorr’s tomato chicken bouillon, as shown on the left. It’s remarkably economical, whether at supermarkets or from Amazon.com; less than $5 for over 2 pounds of the stuff, which lasts a very long time at one rounded teaspoon per mug. It’s a bit salty if you use too much, but by using less, the flavor is very perky and refreshing.
I enjoy it so much that it’s now a staple in our beverage diet, along with boxes of teabags or jars of coffee. If you’re getting tired of tea or coffee all the time, you could do a lot worse than try it, and the “Better Than Bouillon” range as well. (No, I’m not being compensated in any way for recommending them: I just like them very much, and I think my readers will too.)
Peter
Knorr's tomato chicken bouillon does indeed make a tasty drink. We use far more however as flavoring in soups and stews. Some Sam's Clubs carry 4 lb tubs of it which are quite inexpensive.
And you have just discovered what medieval peasants drank. Thin meat broth, constantly boiling, stays food-safe.
Good stuff.
Switch to homemade bone broth. You can control the salt, and season as desired. One way to do it is to put some up in ice cube trays and add a cube to a cup of boiling water. More nutritious than commercial boullion, too.
I guess it's salty because it's mostly salt. I just can't handle all the MSG.
I'll stick with my iced sweet tea w/ lemon, in this heat, Peter, thanks anyhoo …
Have you tried Bovril?
And then there's water, flavored water, milk, flavored milk, various fruit juices, etc.
I just can't quite imagine sipping a refreshing glass of tomato chicken juice. I'd rather drink aloe, and you have to chew that. (It's got the texture of shredded gummy bears.)
@Quartz: Oh, yes, I really like Bovril as a drink – but we can't get it here. It's not made in this country.
You're not looking hard enough.
https://www.britishfoodshop.com/products/bovril-beef-extract-125g_113367