Drink Recipes for Hot Summer Days
- Thread starter Jules
- Start date
Bella
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You bet! Here ya go @Jules! 
Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients:
Place strawberries, lemon juice and sugar in a blender; process until smooth, about 45 seconds. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving pitcher; stir in water. Serve over ice and garnish with mint leaves and fresh strawberries, if desired.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Cucumber-Mint Spritzer
Ingredients:
Step1 - Slice cucumbers into thin ribbons or disks using a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Place in a pitcher. Add mint leaves and gently muddle.
Step2 - Squeeze juice from 1 1/2 lemons (or limes) into the pitcher, reserving the other half for garnish. Stir in seltzer. Serve over ice, garnished with mint sprigs and lemon (or lime) slices, if desired.
Blackberry Limeade
Ingredients:
Step1 - Place 1 cup water and 3 cups blackberries in a blender; process until smooth. Press blackberry puree through a sieve into a large pitcher; discard seeds.
Step 2 - Add remaining 5 cups water, sugar, and juice to pitcher; stir until sugar dissolves. Place 1 lime slice and a few blackberries, if desired, into each of 8 glasses; pour about 1 cup limeade over each serving.
Sparkling Pineapple Ginger Ale
Ingredients:
In a pitcher, combine the ginger ale and pineapple juice. Serve over ice with a piece of pineapple.
Whipped Frozen Limeade
Ingredients:
Step 1 - Bring sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in lime zest and remove from heat. Cover and let steep for 1 hour, then strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve; discard the zest. (You'll have extra lime simple syrup; refrigerate for up to 1 week.)
Step 2 - Add 1/2 cup of the simple syrup, lime juice, half-and-half and ice to a blender. Blend until the ice is crushed and the mixture is slushy. Divide among 4 8-ounce glasses and serve immediately.
To make ahead: Refrigerate simple syrup in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca
Ingredients:
Step 1 - Working in batches if necessary, puree melon, 2 cups water, lime juice and sugar in a blender until smooth and the sugar has fully dissolved, about 45 seconds.
Step2 - Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Add the remaining 2 cups of water, stir well, and adjust the taste with more lime juice, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. To serve, stir well and pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Homemade Frosted Lemonade
Ingredients:
Simple Syrup
Step1 - Put lemon juice, ice cubes, simple syrup, and vanilla ice cream in a blender.
Step2 - Put the blender on the ice crush setting first and then blend. Customize the recipe according to your tastes: more ice to make icy, more ice cream to make a more creamy and simple syrup to make sweeter or more lemon juice to make more tart.
Step 3 - Pour into a chilled glass (5-10 minutes in the freezer), serve, and enjoy!
Bella
Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces strawberries, hulled, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 large lemons)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 6 cups water
- Ice for serving
- Mint leaves for garnish
Place strawberries, lemon juice and sugar in a blender; process until smooth, about 45 seconds. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving pitcher; stir in water. Serve over ice and garnish with mint leaves and fresh strawberries, if desired.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Cucumber-Mint Spritzer
Ingredients:
- 3 mini cucumbers
- 6 leaves fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish
- 2 lemons or limes
- 1 liter lemon seltzer water
- Ice cubes
Step1 - Slice cucumbers into thin ribbons or disks using a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Place in a pitcher. Add mint leaves and gently muddle.
Step2 - Squeeze juice from 1 1/2 lemons (or limes) into the pitcher, reserving the other half for garnish. Stir in seltzer. Serve over ice, garnished with mint sprigs and lemon (or lime) slices, if desired.
Blackberry Limeade
Ingredients:
- 6 cups water, divided
- 3 cups fresh blackberries
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅔ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes
- 8 thin lime slices
- Fresh blackberries (optional)
Step1 - Place 1 cup water and 3 cups blackberries in a blender; process until smooth. Press blackberry puree through a sieve into a large pitcher; discard seeds.
Step 2 - Add remaining 5 cups water, sugar, and juice to pitcher; stir until sugar dissolves. Place 1 lime slice and a few blackberries, if desired, into each of 8 glasses; pour about 1 cup limeade over each serving.
Sparkling Pineapple Ginger Ale
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces ginger ale
- 1 ½ cups pineapple juice
- 4 pieces fresh pineapple, cut into triangles
In a pitcher, combine the ginger ale and pineapple juice. Serve over ice with a piece of pineapple.
Whipped Frozen Limeade
Ingredients:
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- Zest of 1 large lime or 2 small limes
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 3-4 limes)
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half
- 2 ½ cups ice cubes
Step 1 - Bring sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in lime zest and remove from heat. Cover and let steep for 1 hour, then strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve; discard the zest. (You'll have extra lime simple syrup; refrigerate for up to 1 week.)
Step 2 - Add 1/2 cup of the simple syrup, lime juice, half-and-half and ice to a blender. Blend until the ice is crushed and the mixture is slushy. Divide among 4 8-ounce glasses and serve immediately.
To make ahead: Refrigerate simple syrup in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca
Ingredients:
- 3 cups 1-inch honeydew chunks (from 1 large ripe melon, peeled)
- 4 cups water, divided
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, or more to taste
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Ice for serving
- Lime slices for garnish
Step 1 - Working in batches if necessary, puree melon, 2 cups water, lime juice and sugar in a blender until smooth and the sugar has fully dissolved, about 45 seconds.
Step2 - Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Add the remaining 2 cups of water, stir well, and adjust the taste with more lime juice, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. To serve, stir well and pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Homemade Frosted Lemonade
Ingredients:
Simple Syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 cups ice cubes
- 1/4-1/2 cup simple syrup (add to taste)
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 1-2 lemon slices, optional for garnishing
Step1 - Put lemon juice, ice cubes, simple syrup, and vanilla ice cream in a blender.
Step2 - Put the blender on the ice crush setting first and then blend. Customize the recipe according to your tastes: more ice to make icy, more ice cream to make a more creamy and simple syrup to make sweeter or more lemon juice to make more tart.
Step 3 - Pour into a chilled glass (5-10 minutes in the freezer), serve, and enjoy!
Bella
Bella
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There's more! 
Minty Tea Punch
Ingredients:
Step1 - In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat; add mint and tea bags. Steep, covered, 3-5 minutes according to taste. Discard mint and tea bags.
Step2 - Stir in orange and lemon juices, sugar and remaining water. Transfer to a pitcher; refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice; add orange and lemon slices if desired.
Sweet Raspberry Tea
Ingredients:
Step1 - In a saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 5-8 minutes according to taste. Discard tea bags.
Step2 - Place raspberries, sugar and remaining water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Press mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard pulp and seeds.
Step 3 - In a large pitcher, combine tea, raspberry syrup and lime juice. Refrigerate, covered, until cold.
Peach Ginger Iced Green Tea
Ingredients:
Step 1 - Brew 4 cups of green tea, using tea leaves (or green tea bags). Start with one teaspoon for every 8 ounces of water (4 teaspoons for this recipe) and add more to taste. Brewing times for green tea range from 1 to 5 minutes depending on how strong you like it. The longer you steep it, the stronger the flavour. Taste as it steeps. If you leave it too long it will develop bitterness. Let it cool completely.
Step 2 - Purée the peaches in a blender with finely grated ginger root and honey or other sweetener.
Step 3 - Add the cooled green tea to the blender container and blend for a few seconds.
Step 4 - Pour into a pitcher and chill in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, fill glasses with ice, add the peach ginger tea, and garnish with a few strawberries or raspberries, if you'd like.
Sweet Citrus Iced Tea
Ingredients:
Step 1 - In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water just to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add tea bags; let stand for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags.
Step 2 - Pour tea into a large container. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate and remaining water. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice.
Blackberry Iced Tea
Ingredients:
Step 1 - Combine blackberries and sugar in a large container. Crush blackberries with a wooden spoon. Add mint and baking soda. Set aside.
Step 2 - Pour 4 cups boiling water over tea bags; cover and let stand for 3 minutes. Discard tea bags.
Step 3 - Pour tea over blackberry mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Pour tea through a wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding solids. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Cover and chill until ready to serve. Garnish, if desired.
Iced Tea Lemonade
Ingredients:
Step1 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and then steep 2 bags of tea for the amount of time recommended on the package instructions. Remove the tea bags and set in the fridge to cool completely.
Step 2 - While the tea is cooling squeeze several lemons to get about 1 cup of lemon juice. Add the lemon to juice to a pitcher and then add 1 cup of simple syrup and 1 ½ cups of cold water. Stir to combine.
Step 3 - Once the tea has cooled add it to the pitcher with the lemonade and stir to combine. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired.
Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired.
Extra Smooth Iced Coffee
Ingredients:
Pour everything into a blender and blend until creamy.Serves 2.
Caffè Shakerato Con Cioccolato
Ingredients:
Fill a shaker halfway with cracked ice. Pour espresso, simple syrup and vanilla over ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled glass that has been lined with a spiral of chocolate syrup. Garnish. Makes one serving.
Bella
Minty Tea Punch
Ingredients:
- 8 cups water, divided
- 12 mint sprigs
- 4 tea bags
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Ice cubes
- Orange and lemon slices, optional
Step1 - In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat; add mint and tea bags. Steep, covered, 3-5 minutes according to taste. Discard mint and tea bags.
Step2 - Stir in orange and lemon juices, sugar and remaining water. Transfer to a pitcher; refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice; add orange and lemon slices if desired.
Sweet Raspberry Tea
Ingredients:
- 4 quarts water, divided
- 10 tea bags
- 1 package (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed and undrained
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
Step1 - In a saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 5-8 minutes according to taste. Discard tea bags.
Step2 - Place raspberries, sugar and remaining water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Press mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard pulp and seeds.
Step 3 - In a large pitcher, combine tea, raspberry syrup and lime juice. Refrigerate, covered, until cold.
Peach Ginger Iced Green Tea
Ingredients:
- 2medium ripe peaches, peeled and pitted, or use frozen peaches
- 4 cups steeped green tea (use loose green tea leaves or tea bags)
- 1 - 2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, finely grated
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
Step 1 - Brew 4 cups of green tea, using tea leaves (or green tea bags). Start with one teaspoon for every 8 ounces of water (4 teaspoons for this recipe) and add more to taste. Brewing times for green tea range from 1 to 5 minutes depending on how strong you like it. The longer you steep it, the stronger the flavour. Taste as it steeps. If you leave it too long it will develop bitterness. Let it cool completely.
Step 2 - Purée the peaches in a blender with finely grated ginger root and honey or other sweetener.
Step 3 - Add the cooled green tea to the blender container and blend for a few seconds.
Step 4 - Pour into a pitcher and chill in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, fill glasses with ice, add the peach ginger tea, and garnish with a few strawberries or raspberries, if you'd like.
Sweet Citrus Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- 7 cups water, divided
- 10 tea bags
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate
- Ice cubes
Step 1 - In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water just to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add tea bags; let stand for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags.
Step 2 - Pour tea into a large container. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate and remaining water. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice.
Blackberry Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- Pinch of baking soda
- 4 cups boiling water
- 2 family-size tea bags
- 2 ½ cups cold water
- Garnishes: fresh blackberries, fresh mint sprigs
Step 1 - Combine blackberries and sugar in a large container. Crush blackberries with a wooden spoon. Add mint and baking soda. Set aside.
Step 2 - Pour 4 cups boiling water over tea bags; cover and let stand for 3 minutes. Discard tea bags.
Step 3 - Pour tea over blackberry mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Pour tea through a wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding solids. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Cover and chill until ready to serve. Garnish, if desired.
Iced Tea Lemonade
Ingredients:
- 4 tea bags
- 4 cups water
- 2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 cup simple syrup 1:1 sugar/water ratio
- 3 cups water
- ice
- lemon slices optional, for garnish
- fresh mint optional, for garnish
Step1 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and then steep 2 bags of tea for the amount of time recommended on the package instructions. Remove the tea bags and set in the fridge to cool completely.
Step 2 - While the tea is cooling squeeze several lemons to get about 1 cup of lemon juice. Add the lemon to juice to a pitcher and then add 1 cup of simple syrup and 1 ½ cups of cold water. Stir to combine.
Step 3 - Once the tea has cooled add it to the pitcher with the lemonade and stir to combine. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired.
Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired.
Extra Smooth Iced Coffee
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chilled brewed coffee, made double-strength or with a rich dark roast
- 2 rounded tablespoons sugar (extra fine)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp genuine vanilla extract
- 2 cups ice
Pour everything into a blender and blend until creamy.Serves 2.
Caffè Shakerato Con Cioccolato
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. espresso, room temperature
- 1 tsp. simple syrup
- A few drops of vanilla extract
- 1 ½ oz. chocolate syrup
- Cracked ice
- Tools: muddler, shaker, strainer
- Glass: highball
- Garnish: lemon or orange twist
Fill a shaker halfway with cracked ice. Pour espresso, simple syrup and vanilla over ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled glass that has been lined with a spiral of chocolate syrup. Garnish. Makes one serving.
Bella
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Unsweetened iced tea made with Bigelow’s Constant Comment is a good choice.
AnnieA
Well-known Member
- Location
- Down South
La Croix Key Lime sparkling water is great on its own or mixed with orange/pineapple juice ...a splash of pineapple vodka doesn't hurt it a bit either. 
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Years ago our summer happy hour recipe was 1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate, 1 can of bourbon or rye and one can of water buzzed in the blender.
Serve with a bowl of crisp potato chips and don’t worry about dinner.
Serve with a bowl of crisp potato chips and don’t worry about dinner.
Alligatorob
SF VIP
Most any lighter beer, well iced. Consumed in a comfortable chair under a shade tree. Hard to beat.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
It sounds like a modern twist on switchel.
http://www.americantable.org/2014/05/recipe-switchel-1853/
Jules
SF VIP
I hope you mean kept ice cold, not with ice added.
Lee
Senior Member
- Location
- Chatham, Ontario
What can I say, I am a plain Jane when it comes to summer drinks so my contribution is that I add an ice cube or two to a glass of Merlot.
Now inspired by the above posts.....I can do better.
Now inspired by the above posts.....I can do better.
Alligatorob
SF VIP
Yep, kept on ice, in a cooler. Never had ice in beer, doesn't sound good!
terry123
Well-known Member
- Location
- Houston, Tx.
My kind of dinner!Years ago our summer happy hour recipe was 1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate, 1 can of bourbon or rye and one can of water buzzed in the blender.
Serve with a bowl of crisp potato chips and don’t worry about dinner.