If you have yet to sip fresh fruit juice first thing in the morning, you don't know what you're missing. The taste of fresh juice is positively brilliant, made even sweeter by the fact that you know exactly what went into your glass. According to recent news reports, testing by the Environmental Law Foundation (www.envirolaw.org) tested nearly 150 common juice and packaged fruit products, and they found that 85 percent contained alarming levels of lead. In some instances, individual servings of juice harbored lead levels substantially above the Food and Drug Administration's daily limit. This is really scary when it comes to kids, who can suffer developmental problems from even minute amounts of lead, but it's not a matter to take lightly no matter your age. The solution is simple (and simply delicious): Take the fruit juice out of the factory and bring it home to your kitchen. Maybe you have a surplus of fruit from the summer's harvest, or maybe you have a favorite local source of organically grown produce. Either way, I'll bet you have something fresh on hand right now that you can squeeze for a superbly refreshing drink. Savor it spur-of-the-moment, or store for later use.

Juicing 101

You can juice just about any kind of produce, but the fruits that work best are those that we typically associate with bottled juices (apples, grapes, oranges, lemons and tomatoes) plus a few succulent choices that aren't found as often in stores. Think cherries, melons, apricots and plums. Carrots, asparagus, celery, beets, garlic, onions, parsley, cilantro and other veggies are also great juicing candidates for savory beverages as well as soup stocks. When selecting produce, go for fresh, plump and fully ripe. Stay away from those with serious blemishes or fruit that looks withered.

Your choice of juicing equipment will depend on your particular needs. If you'll only juice occasionally to satisfy spontaneous cravings, you can go as low-tech as squeezing by hand or with a basic cone-shaped citrus juicer. To expand your options to less squeezable fruits, consider heating your produce in a pot until skins soften, then strain with cheesecloth. For the serious juicer interested in producing higher volumes to savor and store, I recommend investing in Lehman's Best Steam Juicer (www.lehmans.com). With no cranking, pressing or straining, this stovetop juicer will make 3 to 5 quarts of juice in about an hour, extracting every last drop. The juice you'll produce will be super safe for long-term storage since steam heat eliminates bacteria and germs that can cause juice to ferment. (The Best Steam Juicer is more expensive than Lehman's Good Steam Juicer, but don't skimp here. The Best Juicer is made of inert stainless steel, so it won't leach potentially harmful metals into your juices. The Good Juicer is made of aluminum, which is known to react with acidic foods.) Using a standard canning chart, you can now "can" your juice in bottles.

Preparing your fruit

Even when you buy organic produce, wash it well with warm water before juicing. Peel fruits with thick skins or rinds like citrus fruits, kiwis or melons. Remove pits and other inedible parts. (Note: peeling, pitting and removing stems are unnecessary with the Lehman's juicer.) Fruits that you plan to squeeze by hand can be cut into smaller pieces for easier handling.

Juice it!

If you use the simple heating method, simmer fruit in a glass, enamel or stainless-steel pot. Keep the heat low to prevent burning or excessive evaporation. Cook until tender, cool, then strain through two layers of cheesecloth. (Colanders or food mills can be used, but cheesecloth yields the cleanest juice.)

You likely won't need sugar in your homemade juice because there is so much fresh flavor in ripe fruit, but if you do want more sweetness, try a pinch of sugar, honey or stevia. A squeeze of lemon juice will add a tantalizing tang to sweet juices and will also help preserve color.

Easy freezing

There is no comparison to fresh-squeezed juice when it comes to flavor and nutrient content, but juices do freeze beautifully, preserving more of their natural goodness than commercially packaged varieties. If you have already heated your juice, you don't need to worry about blanching before freezing. Simply pour into glass jars or other freezer containers (leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top to accommodate expansion), seal and freeze. You can also save smaller portions by freezing juice in ice cube trays, then storing the little blocks of frozen juice in freezer bags.

If you didn't heat your juice while processing, heat about a quart at a time to 185 F (not to boiling). Pour hot juice into glass freezer containers and freeze immediately, without letting juice cool at room temperature.

Copyright 2010, MaryJane Butters. Distributed by United Feature Syndicate Inc.