"summer drinks" news and stories

Looking for a good, slightly boozy way to beat the heat? If so, consider checking out the Mojito Granita recipe that Rob at the Foo(d) Bar Blog has concocted. He'd been considering making one of the granita recipes featured on NPR last summer, but an overgrown backyard mint patch convinced him that he needed to devise a way to use what he had. Thus the Mojito Granita was born.

He cooked up a simple syrup that he infused with several sprigs of mint, mixed that with freshly squeezed lime juice, rum and chopped mint leaves and froze it in a glass baking dish (although metal is preferred). As it spent time in the freezer, he'd stir it every so often to ensure that it didn't become just one giant ice cube. Head over and check out the full recipe (which is accompanied by a series of step-by-step pictures).

I've never made granita myself, but I do have a big bunch of mint sitting on my kitchen counter, even as I type. I may have to devote some of that mint to making this recipe for myself. Thanks Rob!

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I recently experienced excruciatingly hot weather while in Dubai, about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The extreme humidity made matters worse. Living under such sizzling heat, people in Dubai must find the best way to quench their thirst. Watermelon juice saves the day!

I first tried this sweet, smooth, hydrating drink at a friend's house last week in Sharjah, a neighboring city of Dubai. Sipping the watermelon juice, I felt as though I was being cleansed. It was as if my body was being restored after being exposed to such scorching high temperatures all day. The juice cooled me down like no other drink has previously done. And so, the rest of my trip I drank a couple of glasses of watermelon juice.

This summer, as temperatures start to rise, I suggest watermelon juice. Unlike citrus juices, there is very little acidity. And for those of you concerned with your health, watermelon juice is a great alternative to other juices. Read on to find out its health benefits.

How do you like your iced tea? What I mean is, do you like real brewed iced tea or do you like the stuff from the store, with all the sugar and lemon?

As I think I've mentioned here before, I can't stand real brewed iced tea. It just seems like, well, I got a hot cup of tea and I let it sit on my desk for a couple of hours and now I have to drink it cold. And no matter how much sugar and/or lemon I add, it just doesn't have the same taste as the packaged Lipton or Nestea.

Anyway, June is National Iced Tea Month. I drink more iced tea in the hotter months of July and August, but since June marks the start of summer I guess it's a logical time to have the holiday (holimonth?). AOL Food has some great iced tea ideas, including tips on making the best iced tea, reviews of iced tea, and even an iced tea quiz.

I don't think of bourbon as a summer drink ingredient. Summer drinks to me are ones that are fruity and light and crisp and maybe have an umbrella in them. I mean, they don't have to have an umbrella in them, but fruity and light are what I think of when I think of summer drinks. Bourbon is a harder potion to me, made for fall and winter nights.

But this recipe over at MarthaStewart.com for Eli's Elixir (created by Allen Katz) sounds promising, because it does have that fruit element in it (apple juice, apples) along with 2 oz of bourbon. You also use a Homemade Ginger Cordial in the recipe too.

I haven't had a root beer flavored popsicle in a long time. That would really hit the spot right now.

I know, I know, it has nothing to do exactly with National Root Beer Float Day, but it got me thinking about root beer. How did root beer, something I drank all the time when I was a kid get pushed out of the picture in favor of Diet Pepsi and other sodas?

Here's a recipe for a root beer float (it's very basic, just root beer and vanilla ice cream). How about a root beer float cake?

And just to make you feel bad, A&W Restauants gave away free root beer floats on National Float Day, which was June 21, the first day of summer. Sorry!