INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The easiest and fastest way to make your own soda is to create a thick flavoring and add a small amount to already-carbonated soda water. If you want to start from scratch, skip to the next method and brew your own. Making syrup saves you the trouble of messing with yeast, and works in much the same way an old-fashioned soda jerk used to work, or a modern soda machine. In a saucepan, mix the following ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar about 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup fresh fruit juice, or two tablespoons of flavor extract Whisk vigorously to keep the sugar moving, staying careful to avoid burning it. It should melt thoroughly and form a thick syrup. Bring the syrup to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer until half of mixture is left. It'll look pretty thick and sweet, which is good. It should be very sweet and concentrated, perfect for cutting in cold soda water. Let the syrup cool and store it in an easy-access container in the refrigerator. It should be good for a few weeks, or more. If you've got a sports water bottle, that would be perfect for storing. You can portion out a squirt or two of the syrup per glass of soda you want to make, and keep it nicely slotted in the fridge door. Fill a glass with soda water and add a small squirt of the soda syrup to it, mixing it thoroughly with a spoon until it becomes integrated. Give it a taste and add more if necessary, or dilute it further with more soda water. Serve chilled and enjoy. If you've got access to a carbonator, you can even bubble up your own soda water to streamline the process and make everything yourself. While a carbonator can cost a pretty penny, you'll be able to start making your own soda water for free. If you drink lots of it, it'll pay for itself in no time.

SUMMARY: Start by making a thick soda-syrup base. Bring the mixture to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Reduce the syrup by half. Store in squeeze bottle and refrigerate. Serve by mixing with ice and seltzer water.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Gerbera daisies can't be planted outside until the frost is done and the soil has started to warm. To give the seedlings a head start, you can start the seeds inside before that so they'll be ready for transplanting in late spring or early summer. Starting the seeds indoors early will also help to ensure that you get blooms this growing season. Seed starting mix is a soilless potting mix that's lighter than typical potting soil, so it's better for germinating seeds. When the tray has been filled, use a spray bottle to moisten the mix in each cell. You can also make your own seed starting medium by combining equal parts: Vermiculite Perlite Peat moss Use the sharpened tip of a pencil or a toothpick to poke a hole in the center of the medium in each seed cell. The hole should be about 14 inch (6.4mm) deep. Drop a seed in each hole with the pointed end facing down. The top of the seed should be just below the soil line. Pack the medium around the hole to cover the seed. Use a mister or small watering can to moisten the potting medium and help settle the seeds. As the seeds germinate, water as necessary to keep the soil slightly moist but not soggy. You can place a seed starter dome over the tray, or use a sheet of plastic wrap to cover the top. This will keep the seeds warm and keep moisture in the soil as the seeds germinate. You can remove the plastic in 2 to 3 weeks once the seeds have sprouted. You won't have to water as often when the plastic is on the tray, but may have to water daily to keep the medium moist once the plastic comes off. Choose a bright windowsill or other area where the seeds will get about 8 hour of indirect light every day. The bright light and plastic will also keep the seeds warm and encourage germination.

SUMMARY: Aim to start the seeds indoors in early spring. Fill a seed tray with a seed starting mix. Plant the seeds. Water the seeds. Cover the tray with plastic. Place the seeds somewhere bright.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Boneless turkey breast can be bought fresh or frozen by the pound. Turkey breasts are much larger than chicken breasts, so you'll want to factor that in when you decide how much to buy. A serving size of turkey breast comes out to 1/4 to 1/2 pound per person. Since cooked turkey keeps well in the refrigerator, you may want to buy extra so you'll have leftovers for sandwiches. If you're buying fresh turkey, look for tender pink breasts with no spots of discoloration. If you're buying fresh turkey that comes prepackaged, make sure to use or freeze it before the expiration date. Choose frozen turkey breast with no signs of freezer burn. Uncooked turkey breast can be kept in the freezer for up to nine months. If you try to cook your turkey from a frozen state, it will take an incredibly long time. Using a refrigerator to thaw slowly is the recommended method. The night or so before you plan to cook the turkey breast, place it in the refrigerator so it can slowly thaw. You'll need to allot 24 hours of thawing for every 4 to 5 pounds of weight. Leave frozen breast, still in its packaging, in the refrigerator for as long as necessary to thaw it out. Put the breast on a plate or tray to catch any juices that might drip out of the packaging as the meat thaws. If you're pressed for time, thaw the turkey in cold water bath. Submerge the still-wrapped turkey in a large bowl or sink of cold tap water. Replace the water every half hour with fresh cold tap water.Allot half an hour of thawing time per pound of weight using this method. Use a microwave for the fastest thawing alternative. Remove all packaging from the turkey breast. Place it on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices. Use the power setting and cooking time recommended for thawing or defrosting meat in the user's manual. Once the breast has thawed, remove any packaging it came in. Fresh or frozen turkey breast often comes wrapped in plastic netting, and you want to be sure to remove this before cooking the turkey. If your breast came rolled up like a roast, unroll it before cooking. While using a marinade isn't required, it results in tender, flavorful meat. Make your marinade at least an hour before you plan to cook the turkey. Choose any store-bought marinade to flavor your turkey, or make your own. Place the turkey in a large food storage container and pour the marinade over it. Use one-fourth cup of marinade into the container for every pound of turkey meat. Let it marinate for one to three hours before cooking. You can whip up a quick marinade by mixing 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt for every four pounds of turkey. Be sure to place the meat back into the refrigerator for the duration of the marination. Because thawing at high temperatures (cold water bath and microwave) can encourage bacteria growth, it's recommended that you cook fast-thawed meat immediately. Therefore, you must slow-thaw your turkey breast in the refrigerator if you plan to marinate it for a few hours before cooking.

SUMMARY: Buy it by the pound. Thaw it if it's frozen. Remove the packaging. Consider marinating the turkey breast.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Do not cook them any further than this. Use the serving suggestions above.

SUMMARY:
In spite of what was said about serving immediately, as noted by Julia Child and other chefs like Michael Romano, it is possible to make poached eggs in advance for the busy cook with a crowd to feed. Drop them into a pan of simmering, salted water for 20-30 seconds (and no more than one minute) and they're ready to serve immediately.