Well? Water!

“Where is the regular water?”

That was the question posed to a hostess at a recent summer gathering. The thirsty guest was standing next to a tin of high-quality bottled water on ice: Icelandic, Fiji, Mountain Air, Saratoga (not to mention the ice-cold strawberry lemonade in the beverage dispenser).

But for me, there is nothing “regular” about water, not with so many crystal-clear brands out there and so many fruits and vegetables available to add flavor. Even with the evolution of the beverage industry, the best water I ever tasted was from the well on my mother’s cousin’s property in Woodburn, Ky. I was about eight years old and I remember it clearly.

She handed it to me while I was perched on the steps of the wooden porch. The tin cup was nice and cool in my hand, and as I tilted it up to drink, I was amazed at how clear it was. And cold. And refreshing.

That was the same feeling I’d get when we’d go fishing with my father and he’d fill a canteen with tap water.

If you’re of a certain generation, then you remember drinking from a water hose when our mothers would lock us out of the house.

Unless you wanted to die of thirst, you drank it greedily and happily because it was the only water we could get. I don’t remember if I liked it or not — burning your hand on the hot, green hose has a way of blurring your memory.

Now that water is a gazillion dollar industry, the rest of the world has caught on to what I always knew: Water is delicious — on its own or with infused flavors. (I don’t have much use for the flavors, but I do love cucumber water.)

What about you? From strawberries to cucumbers to lemons, what is your favorite infused water? Do you have an opinion on well water? Tell us in the comments.