Quenchers, Spirits, and Summer Sips
Well, dear readers, it’s been a minute, hasn’t it? With the arrival of more pleasant weather, my time has been consumed with a plethora of projects ranging from unexpected household emergencies, such as septic issues, that demanded immediate attention to far more enjoyable but necessary endeavors such as planting, weeding, and maintaining my rather vast garden. Add to this the constant demand on my attention by my ever increasingly precocious toddler, and writing has been firmly entrenched on the back burner.
That’s not to say that I haven’t been coming up with all sorts of writing ideas, storyline edits for my two books, short stories, and blog posts. And today I am afforded that coveted thing- TIME.
Since summer is now firmly upon us all, I have to share with you several things that have really made this summer particularly sweet. (FYI: None of the links provided are sponsored or affiliates.)
Iced Coffee
While many coffee aficionados may decry iced coffee as anything but coffee, I am not so inclined. I truly enjoy iced coffee in the summer time. When Dunkin Donuts still had their hazelnut flavoring, an iced hazelnut coffee with extra cream was a true treat. Alas, they’ve discontinued the hazelnut flavoring and I’m up a creek without a coffee stirrer.
And, boy howdy, I’ve missed that quick iced coffee pick-up. It is truly one of the only times I allow myself the indulgence of refined sugar.
I’ve missed it so much in fact that I resorted to necessity- and we all know that necessity is the mother of invention.
After brewing a strong pot of my favorite organic decaf coffee, I decided to add a burst of flavor with a tablespoon of Mexican vanilla extract. What a delicious cup of coffee!
This sent me down a rabbit hole of discovering that proved to be a Wonderland on par with that which Alice discovered. Most importantly, I discovered Cook’s Pure Hazelnut Flavor. It’s a hazelnut extract and it’s positively delicious when added to my coffee.
If I’m hankering for a cup of hot coffee, which sometimes happens when the air conditioner has been kicking on a lot, I pour half and half into my mug, heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave, froth it with my handheld frother, pour in some hot coffee, add a tablespoon or more of the hazelnut extract, stir in a spoonful of monk fruit sweetener, and voila! It’s a delicious cup of coffee.
But, mostly I want it iced in the summer. The colder, the better.
I brew extra strong coffee in my drip pot or French press, pour it in a mason jar, and chill it overnight. Then in the morning, I pour it over ice, add the hazelnut extract, two or three spoonfuls of monk fruit, and a generous dollop of half and half. It’s perfect. Sometimes I forgo the monk fruit and just savor the delectable creaminess of the half and half.
I don’t know how you like your coffee, but if it’s flavored, adding extracts provides a delicious layer to your morning (or let’s be honest, any time of day) libation. Whether it’s vanilla, hazelnut, almond, chocolate, et. al., you can have an almost guilt free, (mostly) sugar free delight. Really, I cannot recommend trying this enough.
Sparkling Water
When we first moved to the South, we had a hard time finding seltzer of any sort. Having come from New York City, this was a hard thing to hurdle. Both the husband and I grew up drinking seltzer, plain and flavored.
However, over the years, we’ve found numerous different companies that make delicious sparkling water options.
One of the reasons that we enjoy sparkling water is that it has the carbonation of soda without all the additives. One of the best brands that we’ve found is La Croix. (Although Kroger’s Simple Truth brand is really stepping up their game, too.)
Last year, La Croix introduced their summer flavor Limoncello, and, dear readers, it is still among my favorite flavors that they offer. However, this year, their new flavor is Cherry Blossom and it is simple too-too, as they say.
They offer myriad options ranging from simple citrus flavors like lemon, lime, and grapefruit, to more exotic ones like Beach Plum, Guava Sao Paulo, and Blackberry Cucumber. I haven’t found one that I don’t like. So, if you’re looking for a cool, refreshing carbonated drink on a hot summer day, I highly recommend La Croix.
However, if you’re partial to mineral water, Aldi’s offers several options. The one we like the best is the six bottle pack of Italian mineral water. If you’re wanting something fancier, Trader Joe’s has a lovely selection of sparkling waters, many of which come in beautiful glass bottles, which makes it a great gift to bring to a summer barbeque.
Iced Tea
Notice I said iced tea and not sweet tea. Being a northern who relocated to the south, I have not- and probably never will- cultivate a taste for the Uber saccharine sweet tea served at so many southern functions. It’s just not my cup of tea- pun entirely intended.
However, I do like a refreshing glass of unsweetened iced tea in the summer. My go to flavor is peach tea.
When I was in Charleston, my girlfriends and I took a trip to the Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island on the sight of the former Pinehurst Tea Plantation, which specializes in growing tea. While there, we imbibed of the most delicious iced peach tea. It left a lasting impression.
Now, when I trek out into my garden for some weeding and watering and whatnot, I like to have a large, heavily iced glass of peach tea. It’s the perfect elixir to combat the heatwave that has settled upon us this year.
However, as making iced tea takes a little forethought, I was happy to discover that Bigelow has a special cold brewed iced tea available. This has allowed me to brew up some iced tea in less than fifteen minutes. Their flavors are complex and unique. So far I have tried watermelon cucumber mint and citrus blueberry basil. While both are delicious, I’m partial to the watermelon cucumber mint one.
Infused water
Speaking of watermelon, cucumber, and mint, another great summer beverage is infused water.
The benefits of lemon water are huge. Starting your day with hot water and lemon first thing kick starts so many parts of your body. However, infusing your water with different flavors is a wonderful alternative to staying hydrated in these hot summer months.
My personal favorite is filling a pitcher with alkaline water and adding thinly sliced lemon, cucumber, and ginger. Muddle some mint and throw that in there, too. The reason I like this blend so much is because it helps to fight water retention which occurs a lot in the summer.
Switch it up with mint, lime, some fresh pineapple, and a cucumber. Or some watermelon, cucumber, and mint. Orange, basil, and ginger could be delicious too. Really the possibilities are endless.
Zevia
In that never ending effort to curb the refined sugars, our family pretty much gave up all soda years ago. That’s not the say that we haven’t missed it. Particularly during the summer when things like Root Beer Floats and Shirley Temples seem just perfect to cap off to a hot day.
Enter Zevia. The mission of Zevia is one that I can get behind firmly, particularly after living through a pandemic.
“Zevia is guided by their mission to address the global health challenges resulting from excess sugar consumption by offering a broad portfolio of zero sugar, zero calorie, naturally sweetened beverages. This purpose sets the foundation for their existence, as they strive to make the world a better place. Zevia is a pioneering beverage brand, offering a platform of products that include a broad variety of flavors across Soda, Energy Drinks, Organic Tea, Mixers, Kidz drinks, and Sparkling Water.”
I have missed being able to have a can of coca cola. Or ginger ale. But, I just couldn’t sanction it because I knew how my body would react to the amount of sugar I’d be having in quick succession. If I want something sweet, I’m gonna go all out and have a great dessert, not a soda.
However, having found Zevia, I’ve really enjoyed having sodas again. I like a lot of their flavors, but I’m most partial to Black Cherry, which tastes like a black cherry coke, and Creamy Root Beer, which is the best of both cream soda and root beer. However, I haven’t really had a flavor I don’t like. And because they don’t have any additives for color, if you spill a little, it’s not as horrid. The sodas are all clear and there’s no sugar. In my book, that’s a win-win, especially as my Little Man likes to be a big boy and drink out of the can himself. Suffice it to say, we’ve had spills, but not stains.
So, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to soda, check out Zevia.
Quick Cocktails
I’m not a bar tender by any stretch of the imagination, but I have found ways to make inexpensive summer cocktails that can be fun for the impromptu summer get together.
A couple years ago, I decided to mix a La Croix coconut sparkling water with the juice of a lime and a touch of rum. Agave syrup or honey can give it a touch of sweetness. Or a splash of coconut water.
We’ve been eating a lot of watermelon this year. We scoop out the flesh with an cookie scoop. This leaves a lot of juice. Pour it into a glass- or strain it if you want- and add a splash of vodka. Yum! This can be done with pineapple juice, too.
If you’re looking for a Summer Cocktail, check out this post with my Sangria recipe. It’s really, really delightful and delicious.
Post Script:
Popsicles
Now, I know that popsicles aren’t exactly a libation, but they do kinda fall under the umbrella of ‘quencher.’
As a girl growing up in Queens, summer was no complete without Italian iceys. My favorite was, and still is, lemon. However, yet again, the sugar content makes an Italian icey pretty much a no-no (not to mention that we haven’t found a place near us that is up to snuff in the Italian icey department).
Enter popsicle molds. For my Little Man, I’ve been making popsicles. I purchased star shaped popsicle molds- like the kind that firecracker popsicles are made in- and I’ve been experimenting with different kinds. (These are the molds that I bought.) I’ve made yogurt pops- Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and a dollop of honey whirled together, poured in the molds, and frozen. These have been a hit. We’ve done blueberry, strawberry, and lemon (using lemon zest and juice).
Then there was the Fudgesicle recipe from A Clean Bake’s blog that has proved to be delicious and a massive hit.
And then there’s been my lemon icey. Just my lemonade- more on the sour side than sweet- poured into the molds and frozen. It’s simply perfect for an afternoon respite while working in the garden. Particularly in this seemingly never ending heatwave.
I hope you enjoyed this brief foray into all things related to summer hydration. I can’t tell you how fabulous it has felt to be with you again. I’ve missed you, dear readers.
And, on that note, what’s a particular favorite of yours to drink in the summer months?
