COLUMN: Start summer with a fizzy homemade drink
Summer is almost here, which means it’s time for picnics, barbecues and sitting on the lawn drinking lemonade and soaking up the sun. When the weather’s hot and you’re spending more time outdoors, what sounds better than a delicious and refreshing cold drink? I love making my own drinks with interesting flavor combinations and fresh ingredients. You can make these drinks by the glass or in a pitcher to share at an outdoor lunch or get-together.
In addition to the freedom of customizing the flavors of your drinks, you can also control the amount of sugar in them. Most of these drinks have less sugar than traditional store-bought sodas, and you can cut the amount down even more if you like.
Fancy drinks can make any occasion a little more special, especially if you serve them in glasses and add a pretty garnish.
PEAR VANILLA SODA
4 pears
2-3 lemons
1 vanilla bean
½ cup sugar
2 liters club soda
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, scraped insides of the vanilla bean, the empty shell of the vanilla bean and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep (sit) for one hour.
Strain the vanilla syrup through a tea towel into a jar.
Gently peel each pear and use a spoon to scoop out and discard the core.
Place the pears in a food processor with the juice of half of a lemon and pulse until smooth. Scoop the pear sauce (it will be thick) into a strainer lined with a tea towel set over a bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes, or until most of the juice has dripped through. You should have about ¾ of a cup of juice.
To make the drink, mix 2 tablespoons pear juice, 3 tablespoons vanilla syrup and 1 cup club soda together in a tall glass. Add a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from about ¼ of a lemon) to the top. Garnish with a thin pear slice and sugared rims.
CUCUMBER LIME REFRESHER
½ can (12 ounces) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 (2 liter) bottle lemon-lime soda
1 medium-sized cucumber
1 lime, for garnish
Combine the limeade concentrate and soda in a pitcher and stir to combine.
Slice the cucumber and lime, leaving the peels on, in thin, round slices.
Add to the pitcher and let sit for 15-30 minutes before serving.
To make this drink by the glass mix about 2 teaspoons concentrate with ½ cup soda and garnish with a few slices of cucumber and lime.
SWEET AND SPICY GINGER SODA
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
dash of salt
1 (approximately 4 inch long) piece of ginger
4-5 limes
2 liters ginger ale
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off of the ginger. Chop it into small pieces.
Combine the sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, ginger and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let steep (sit) for 30 minutes.
Strain the syrup through a tea towel or fine mesh strainer into a jar and chill until ready to use.
To make the drink, combine 1 tablespoon spicy ginger syrup, juice from ¼ of a lime and ½ cup of ginger ale in a glass. Serve with a lime wedge for garnish.
PEACH ROSEMARY SPRITZER
½ cup sugar
¾ cup water
4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
2 medium-sized ripe peaches, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 liter club soda
2 cups white grape juice
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the rosemary, cover and let sit for about 30 minutes.
Remove or strain the rosemary and pour the syrup into a pitcher.
Using a blender or food processor, puree the peeled peaches until smooth.
Add the peach puree, lime juice, club soda and grape juice to the pitcher and mix until combined.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a peach slice or wedge.
– Jennelle Clark is a senior psychology major who writes the online food blog foodislikeart.blogspot.com. Send comments to jenn.wilson@aggiemail.usu.edu