Summer means patio dining. And something refreshing to drink - which, lately, has been something like pink lemonade for me. I don't normally go in for sugary drinks that often (my parents didn't allow pop* in the house when I was growing up, so I never got in the habit of drinking it), but my adult-beverage envy has gotten progressively worse as the weather has heated up so I've satisfied my craving by getting something fun whenever I go out.
image via Orbiting Debris on Etsy
But if I could have something alcoholic, I'd choose:
1. A mojito. The first time I had one of these was when Jason and I took a vacation to the Florida Keys and visited Hemingway's house in Key West - it just seemed like something you had to do. And I've loved them ever since, especially when they're not too sweet. Refreshing, crisp, summery.
2. A margarita. On the rocks, salted rim. None of this frou-frou frozen, flavored, overly-sugary stuff - I want to taste the tequila, please.
3. Sangria. This is a drink I like making at home because I love loading it up with tons of fruit and restaurant sangria can be heavy on the sweet, bubbly additives and light on anything except a few sliced oranges and lemons. And I definitely want it to be red, thank you.
4. A sidecar. This is one where I definitely want a sugared rim. I first heard of these while reading Nero Wolfe novels and they just seemed too retro-chic not to try. I can still remember a terrific one I had on the cruise we took to Alaska a few years ago - yum. (It seems like there are arguments about proportions with this one - I don't like it too dry.)
5. A greyhound. Specifically, an Izze Hound from Hapa Sushi in Boulder, CO (made with mango sake and grapefruit Izze), but a classic one will do in a pinch.
(In case you're wondering, I'm not much of a beer drinker. But if you insist, I'll take a cream ale from somewhere like Squatters, Hinterland, or Boddington's.)
*Yep, I just called it that. You soda drinkers can laugh all you want.
Yummmm I love a good cocktail! I just had a mojito for the first time recently and it was delish! Too bad it's kind of labor intensive to make at home. I'm with ya on sangria--so many possibilities and (almost) always delicious! If you aren't a big beer drinker but like cream ale, you might like Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom Cream Ale. I found it at World Market and am now obsessed--it tastes like a creamsicle!
ReplyDeleteThis is great! I'm not a soda drinker either, but neither am I an alcohol drinker either (definitely not beer). You should put together a list like this of summer non-alcoholic drinks. Last summer a friend introduced me to minutemaids watermelon juice and it was all I wanted to drink after that.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I absolutely relate to not being able to name a favorite. Anytime anyone asks me what is my favorite anything my mind goes completely blank. Just recently I realized I can more easily name my top favoriteS. So now, instead of panicking, I will thinking in my head "what are the top 5 things (fill in the blank)" and even though the person only asked me for one thing, at least I have something to say rather than looking like a kid staring into space while they pee in the pool.
Mojitos were actually the very first cocktail I ever had after I was legal - yum! So yummy and classic! Here's to no-beer-drinking, no pop-drinking (unless I've made it myself with seltzer and some sort of juice/syrup) ladies everywhere! I'm going to get Loren to make you a list of some of the awesome prego-tinis he made me last summer and has continued a bit this year since I'm still breastfeeding and don't like to drink too much.... they definitely helped with the feeling-special-on-the-patio thing.
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