Three Summer Drinks
I may be pinning cable knit sweaters and dreaming of cooler weather but let’s face it, summer is far from over! What I should be pinning is a few more refreshing drink recipes to get me through these hot summer months. Here are three cold drinks I plan to try. Cilantro Limeade looks crazy good…with a splash of tequila perhaps!
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 cup cilantro sprigs, plus more for garnish
1 cup seltzer
1 cup fresh lime juice (from 8 to 10 limes)
Lime wedges, for garnish
Directions:
1. Make cilantro syrup: Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, add cilantro sprigs, and let steep 5 minutes. Strain, discard sprigs, and let cool.
2. Stir together seltzer, lime juice, and 10 to 12 tablespoons syrup in a large pitcher. Serve over ice, garnished with cilantro and lime.
Ginger Beer- via Real Simple
4 lemons1 orange3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh ginger3/4 cup honey3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups orange juice
4 cups sparkling mineral water, chilled
Directions:
1. Grate 2 tablespoons each of lemon and orange zest. Squeeze 1/3 cup lemon juice from 3 of the lemons. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse the ginger, honey, and sugar until just combined. Add the orange and lemon juices and process. Transfer to a large lidded container. Add the orange and lemon zests and 2 cups of boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 5 days.
3. To serve, strain the ginger-beer base into a pitcher. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and orange to form circles. Add the slices and mineral water to the pitcher and stir. Serve over ice.
1 pound rhubarb, cleaned, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup lemon juice
Soda water or carbonated water
Directions:
1. Put rhubarb pieces, water, sugar, and rosemary leaves into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Rhubarb pieces will disintegrate.
2. Remove from heat. Strain out the solids with a fine mesh strainer. Add lemon juice. If too sweet for taste, add a little more lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.
3. To serve, fill a quarter to a half of the glass with the lemon, rhubarb, rosemary syrup, and the rest with soda water.
Makes about 3 cups of syrup, and 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of spritzer.
Fabulous drinks! How inviting they all look!
xo
What delicious and refreshing drinks! I’d like to try all three this morning.