Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy
You need more than a hand-held fan or some A/C to keep comfortable during a Missouri summer. Here’s a few refreshing drinks that will cool you from the inside out.
I’ve purposely limited this post to non-alcoholic items, the so-called virgin drinks, because I’m not much of an authority on the alcohol infused stuff. Having been raised in a family of abstainers, definitely limited my level of expertise.
These refreshing drinks will make your toes tingle happily. Some may even bring back childhood memories.
Iced Tea
Iced Tea is America’s widely preferred drink.
Arnold Palmer
Combine 3 parts iced tea with 1 part lemonade in whatever quantity you need. The iced tea and lemonade combo was named after the famous golfer, Arnold Palmer, who often drank the citrus-flavored tea. The Winnie Palmer version uses sweet tea with lemonade and is named after the golfer’s first wife.
Cherry Limeade
This drink from The Pioneer Woman is a combination of tart, frozen limeade, fizzy lemon-lime soda, and maraschino cherry juice.
Mango Lassi
Mango Lassi can be made in ten minutes at home. Or give it a try at most any Indian restaurant. The drink is a blend of sweet mangoes, ice cubes, and yogurt flavored with a smidge of cardamom.
Shirley Temple
The Brown Derby invented the namesake drink for the child star, who often accompanied her parents and other Hollywood grandees to the restaurant. It includes a lemon-flavored soda such as Sprite, (or ginger ale on the East Coast), and grenadine syrup, all topped with a cherry. (Not to be confused with a Dirty Shirley, that includes vodka.) Recipe here.
Lemonade
Jazz up a typical lemonade with mint. Or use a strawberry-based syrup instead. Just dissolve some sugar in water and allow a few strawberries to linger there a while. Toss in a bit of basil, and strain. Betty Crocker’s Old Fashion Lemonade is a classic.
Strawberry Smoothie
This smoothie blends ripe bananas, fresh strawberries, milk, honey and vanilla into a refreshing drink.
Pink Grapefruit Virgin Mojito
This Pink Grapefruit Virgin Mojito brims with fresh mint, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda and ice.
