Last week I was mixing up what I like to refer to in front of our children as “an adult drink.” I was just about finished squeezing a fresh lime into the glass when my middle son asked, “Why are you drinking something before dinner? I thought you said drinking before dinner will make us fill up, and we won’t eat our dinner.”
I thought to myself, how do I explain this?
Just as I was about to break into one of my soapbox lectures, my eldest son thankfully came to my rescue.
“Elliott,” he said, “that is citrus. Lemons, limes, clementines – they’re all members of the citrus family. They taste good, and they have vitamins that are good for you.” And that was that.
There you have it. In the summer, I enjoy a little citrus: a refreshing little squeeze, twist and shake.
Here are a few of my new favorites for you to try over the summer. Enjoy your refreshments as you watch the sun set or while you gently rock the summer evening away in your comfortable rocking chair out on the porch. Cheers!
I thought to myself, how do I explain this?
Just as I was about to break into one of my soapbox lectures, my eldest son thankfully came to my rescue.
“Elliott,” he said, “that is citrus. Lemons, limes, clementines – they’re all members of the citrus family. They taste good, and they have vitamins that are good for you.” And that was that.
There you have it. In the summer, I enjoy a little citrus: a refreshing little squeeze, twist and shake.
Here are a few of my new favorites for you to try over the summer. Enjoy your refreshments as you watch the sun set or while you gently rock the summer evening away in your comfortable rocking chair out on the porch. Cheers!
Arnold Palmer
Serves 1.
- 1 part iced tea
- 1 part lemonade
- Ice
Serves 1.
Ginger Beer Lemonade
Combine and serve over ice.
Serves 1.
- 1 part lemonade
- 1 part non-alcoholic ginger
- beer
- Ice
Combine and serve over ice.
Serves 1.
Pomegranate Ginger Ale
- 8 ounces ginger ale
- 1/2 generous ounce
- pomegranate syrup
- Ice
Combine and serve over ice.
Serves 1.
Summer Blue
- 6 cans Black Cherry Fresca
- 9 ounces blue raspberry vodka
- 2 fresh-squeezed limes
- Cherries with stems
- Ice
1. Combine first three ingredients in a pitcher.
2. Pour into glasses filled with ice, and add a whimsical garnishby dropping a cherry (with its stem) onto the top.
Serves 6.
Dan’s Demise
1. Combine first four ingredients in a pitcher.
2. Pour over tall glasses of ice, and garnish with pineapple chunks and fresh orange slices.
Serves 8-10.
- 1 liter gin
- 1 liter spiced rum
- 1/2 gallon pineapple juice
- 1/2 gallon orange juice
- Pineapple chunks
- Orange slices
- Ice
1. Combine first four ingredients in a pitcher.
2. Pour over tall glasses of ice, and garnish with pineapple chunks and fresh orange slices.
Serves 8-10.
Balsam Lake Ginger Zinger (The Zinger)
1. Combine first five ingredients.
2. Pour over ice in a tall glass, and garnish with an orange slice.
Serves 1.
- 6 tablespoons ginger beer, chilled
- 1+ ounce gin
- 2 tablespoons fresh
- squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Grand Marnier
- Orange slices
- Ice
1. Combine first five ingredients.
2. Pour over ice in a tall glass, and garnish with an orange slice.
Serves 1.