Next week the food cover is my story about frozen drinks for summer, and I’ve been making them all day for a photo and video shoot. I’m a big fan of frozen drinks, slurped poolside, on a hot summer day. (I loved Slurpees when I was a kid, too). But I can’t stand the cheapies–ones made with mixes. I positively abhor those, which have nothing in common with a mango daiquiri made with fresh mangos. I also like a drink that’s pretty new to me–the pisco sour. Last summer friends made a pitcher of them at a Peruvian dinner party, and I’ve featured it in the upcoming story. Pisco is a brandy from Peru (also made in Chile and widely consumed in Peru, Chile and Bolivia) and it really has a different taste from the typical white summer liquors. I also jumped on the cachaca cart a couple of summers back, but just recently started making my caiparinhas with palm sugar, which makes a big difference. OK, I’m ready for the beach…
If anyone has a favorite summer cocktail, frozen or not, share the recipe.
Uncategorized
Responses to “Summer coolers”
June 28th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Wallaby Darned’s made with fresh peaches. It’s like a peach slushie for adults.
There’s nothing like swinging on the porch swing with a glass of this in your hand. That is when it’s offically Summer for me.
8 ounces frozen sliced peaches (fresh are much better)
1/2 cup Bacardi Fuzzy Navel mix (you can leave this out Jennifer! I have before and they were still yummy)
1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup champagne
3 fluid ounces water
1 1/2 fluid ounces peach schnapps
1 1/2 fluid ounces vodka
1 tablespoon sugar (optional- I never use it)
Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend on high speed for approx.
30 seconds or until ice is completely crushed and the drink is smooth.
Serve immediately.
June 28th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I’m also a big fan of Pisco Sours. Anyone know where you can get pisco locally? What about cachaca, where to buy? If you enjoy pisco, try pisco and tonic with a couple drops of bitters. Refreshing on a hot muggy day.
June 28th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Erin, I would use a bit of a mix like that in a frozen drink, too–I meant I hate those mixes in the big plastic tubs that you add liquor to and put in the freezer. Ugh!
Eatin’ well, I bought pisco at Buster’s this week. There were two choices. I imagine Arthur’s and Great Wines also carry it. I see cachaca just about everywhere these days, so you should be able to pick that up in most reasonably well-stocked liquor stores.
Here’s another good summer drink I just remembered: Pimm’s Cup. I’ve enjoyed these since back of the days of Fantasia (the classical music bar, not the dance club that came along later–anyone remember it?). I always drink them at the Napoleon House in New Orleans and keep a bottle in my liquor cabinet, but I always forget about it.
June 28th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
When we have white peaches at the Farmers Market, it is time for a real Harry’s Bar Bellini - pureed white peaches and Prosecco.
June 28th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
I’ll have to chime in on this one…I love a great Margarita in the summer. Adjust to your tastes, but I use good tequila, Cointreau, a little sweet and sour, a splash of pineapple and orange juices and a big squeeze of fresh lime, shaken and served up in a martini glass. (the less sweet and sour, the better). Oh my.
June 29th, 2007 at 8:55 am
Jennifer- I totally agree! Those big plastic bucket drinks are absolutely awful! *gag*
June 29th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Simplicity itself: Dubonnet and soda, lots of ice, with a twist, either lemon or orange.
June 29th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Frederic — Dubonnet is new to me, but I see that there are red and white versions, w/white being the drier of the 2. Which do you use for this summer drink? Is it expensive?
I’ll be having a Pimm’s Cup and watching Wimbledon ASAP. I make sugar syrup and add it to Sprite, fresh lemon juice, ice, and the Pimm’s. And of course, the cucumber! I don’t know if that’s authentic, but it’s yummy.
June 29th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Hey, Kate, Dubonnet is a wine-based beverage that indeed comes, like vermouth, in white (dry) and red or pinkish (sweet) versions. I usually go with the red just because it makes such a beautiful color mixed with club soda. A squeeze of lemon or orange cuts the sweetness a bit. It took the staff at Buster’s a while to, first, understand what I was asking for, and, second, actually find the stuff. It’s with the marsala, for some reason. Anyway, I was startled to see that Dubonnet is now made in Bardstown, Kentucky. Sacre bleu! It’s almost embarrassingly cheap. I see that the spirit of experimentation drives you onward.
June 29th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I hate to put a blight on everyone’s enjoyment of Dubonnet, but I first learned about it in the early 70’s when my boss’ secretary in DC used to drink it with club soda. So it’s been around quite awhile. What is that saying…everything old is new again. But I learned something new from your postings because I didn’t know it came in anything but the red variety. I tried it & didn’t care for it, but I did find that I like kir, which is black currant liqueur. A kir royale is kir mixed in champagne, which is also a nice color & a festive summery drink.
11 comment.