So what do you drink when you want a little taste of summer?
I believe I’ve just mixed my drink for the coming hot summer months:
Midnight Rum and Coke: Doorly’s XO Rum - 1 part
Vanilla Coke Zero - 2 part
The rum is much darker than I’m used to, and I can’t imagine going back. I can still smell the cane in it, imparting a nice sweetness. Actually tried a sip of the rum alone, which I could never do with the cheap stuff, and it tastes good, sweet. The coke’s vanilla punches up the flavor of the rum even more. The taste is dark, sweet, sensual. Yum.
My standbys are gin and tonic (pretty much the only time I drink gin or tonic) and margarita in 2:1:1 (tequila, cointreau, lime juice) proportions, over ice.
if i’m out with friends, getting a drunk on, you’ll prolly find me with a vodka-soda, perhaps with a splash of barlime… though from time to time, i’ll go for rye & ginger, or rye & water.
if it’s beers, i’m likely in for one of the local(ish) craft-brewed specialties… a klb raspberry wheat, or amsterdam nut brown, for example; though if mass-market is the only option, i’ll be the one drinking fiddy, ex, or mo-dry (in order of preference.)
I was screwing around yesterday and I came up with one I thought would be disgusting - Bourbon and grapefruit juice. Actually, it was quite tasty and I ended up having a couple. I think this is going to be my mixed drink o’ choice this summer. I googled it, and the only thing I see it called on the cocktail sites is a flatlander’s folly. Has anyone else heard of another name for this drink?
I love this, and if you’re not opposed to flavored vodkas, someone recently introduced me to using the Stoli blueberry flavor in the lemonade which I consider a very nice little twist for a great summer drink.
One cup water
one cup sugar
One orange
One lemon
One lime
One cup red wine (adjust to taste)
Club Soda
Slice fruit, place in bowl. Heat sugar and water to boiling, stirring all the while. Pour over fruit, cover. Let chill minimum four hours, better if overnight.
Remove one cup of the sugar water and pour into pitcher. (You can use the remainder for next time). Put all fruit into pitcher. Add desired red wine.
Add club soda to taste, add ice. Stir and chill.
And you have a beautiful blushing sangria, that tastes delicious.
My red wine is cheap, too - I usually buy the huge jugs of Carlo Rossi. I can usually use it two summers, and it isn’t enough wine in there to change the taste much.
A new favorite: The Paloma. Among several recipes, this one’s easy:
Fill tall glass with ice
Add fresh lime juice to taste
Add tequila shot
Fill with Grapefruit Soda
(Not quite as strong as A Properly Made Margarita.)
