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Things I've been drinking lately
I’ve become a connoisseur of what I call “drinkie drinks.” These are alcohol-free beverages that have an aura of cocktail about them. Here are some of my personal favorites:
Seltzer+lime juice+a drop of rosewater served ice cold.
Pineapple juice+orange juice+coconut milk, blended and served over crushed ice (or blended with ice and served as a smoothie)
cranberry juice+seltzer+twist of lime served on the rocks
apple juice+seltzer (apparently this is a legitimate German favorite, and Lex can tell you the name for it—apfelsomethingorother)
orange+lime+grenadine+seltzer+drop of rosewater, served over crushed ice
Tampico (any flavor, but I like the pineapple/mango/cherry), plus seltzer, plus lime juice.
A virgin pina colada made with coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, crushed pineapple, and ice, all blended until smooth.
Frozen strawberries+coconut milk+sweetened condensed milk+drop of rum extract, all blended until smooth
Crazyladyade (not really a drinkie-drink): This is essentially double-strenth Kool-Aid lemonade (add two packets to a half gallon of water instead of one and double the sugar) and then dump in as much lemon juice (preferably fresh, but reconstituted will do in a pinch) as you can take. Serve on ice. Good hot for a sore throat, too. Warning: drinking too much of this will make you CRAZY! For you drinkers out there, this makes a great base for Russian lemonade. Throw in some vodka, and you’ve got a party.
Passion tea lemonade (again, not really a drinkie-drink): In a one-gallon container, brew eight bags of Tazo’s Passion Tea or Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea in a half gallon of boiling water. Add two packets of Kool Aid lemonade (or your favorite lemonade mix) and two cups of sugar while the water is still hot. Remove the tea bags after 10 minutes, squeezing them out to get all the lovely redness. Mix until all sugar is dissolved. Top off the rest of the container with cold water and ice cubes. Ready to serve immediately; EXTREMELY refreshing and addictive.
During the summer, I also love to drink other iced, sweetened herbal teas, especially mint tea and chamomile tea.
If you are a drinker who is planning a cocktail party, make sure to put out a nice display of mixers, juices, sparkling waters, sodas, and plenty of ice, too. Not only will your bar become more versatile (the drink possibilities open up a hundredfold), but your non-drinking friends will thank you! I usually end up taking my own drinks to parties and dinners, because most hosts do not consider the non-drinking guests, and provide only beer, wine, water (from the tap), and caffeinated beverages (cola, mostly), which I cannot drink. I anticipate this and bring my own drinkie-drink. Be a good host and think of ALL your guests’ drink needs.
Seltzer and juice are cheap, which is one of the reasons we have pretty much stopped drinking commercial sodas and have switched entirely to seltzer plus whatever we feel like tossing in. I can get a 12 pack of seltzer for half the cost of a 12 pack of soda, and when I add in the cost of a 64 oz bottle of juice, I’m still coming out cheaper than the 12 pack of soda, plus I’ve got twice as much to drink!
