Well mine's not poison per se - but I love to make homemade (fresh) limeaide.

Also have been enjoying the "fruited" waters. Slice up favorite fruits (my faves are strawberries, orange or lime slices) - put in a pitcher - add water, refrigerate. You can also do a mixture of fruits.

That sounds good, Tina! I have been making orange seltzer water with my soda stream as I love fizz, and the commercially available stuff is never bitter enough for me. I use essence of orange and several slices of orange (no artificial flavor or sugar) and it is super refreshing. I have even used it as the occasional substitute for ginger ale in Pimm's cup.

Gimme seltzer with a squeeze of fresh lime and I'm happy.

With the garden exploding, I'm making lemon cucumber smoothies

Greek yogurt, plain
A few cukes
1 TBSP of each:
Fresh dill
Fresh mint
Fresh basil
Ice cubes

Blend above ingredients. If you want Fiz, blend it with Sparkling water.

Note: this is great for puffy eyes.

Loves some of the ones posted, will have to try them!

We make all sorts of "Tisanes", just use any herbal tea, stick a few bags in a large container of Poland Spring water (the clear kind), and put it in the fridge for about 6 hours. We like Hibiscus and the Pineapple Mango Guava, both by Republic of Tea.

For alcoholic beverages, my fave is still a Pomtini, but I also like this recipe (below) for a lavender grapefruit cocktail. I also made strawberry basil margaritas a few weeks ago for guests ... yumm. Honestly any mixed drink elevated with fresh quality juices and herbs is a winner for me.

Someone in my Cooking Club lived in SA for a while and she makes a great Capirinha (sp) but it is so strong!

Here is a link that might be useful: a bit exotic but i liked it

I am such a wimp in my old age. One drink and by 9 I can barely keep my eyes open. Plus, my post menopausal metabolism doesn't need the extra calories!

Here is my summer favorite. It's not an unusual combination but for some reason it does not have an official name.

Vodka, tonic water, just enough cranberry juice to change the color of the drink to light pink and a big squeeze of lime juice.

My big move in the summer is switching from red wine to rose or vinho verde.

Nothing complicated....beer. Add sand in the toes.

Many ways to beat the summer heat here! My SIL just came back from Provence and it now have two bags of dried lavender that I WAS going to use in a pomander but I love the idea of using it in a margarita!

Golddust, my DD is a huge Greek yoghurt fan, I will pass this along to her, thanks!

My mother is still the Cosmopolitan queen, she is now making them with Grey Goose orange infused vodka, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice and lime twists and they are super delicious!

We have an alum event here tomorrow and I am setting up the bar as a "make your own" cocktail with recipes on small chalkboards. Should be fun :-)

Mojitos

muddled mint, fresh from the garden
white rum, to taste
fresh lime juice, to taste
simple syrup, to taste
stir with lots of ice (I only use commercial ice, not refrigerator ice, as it is so much more clear and beautiful)
fill remaining space with club soda

I make so many of these in the summer at my friends' beach house that I no longer measure, just eyeball it all. Some people want a little more simple syrup, some more lime, some more rum.

I can never get excited about these unless it's a hot, sunny day, then they are the best thing I can think of to drink!

Rarely do I deviate from a nice Chardonnay or Pinot, but today after work I went out with co-workers to a Mexican restaurant for a bite to eat and a drink. This is only my second time with a new drink-Corona-rita! My daughter introduced this drink to me and wants me to buy the clips to attach the mini-Corona's to our margarita glasses.

Yum!

We are on day one of 2+ weeks at our beach house, and I just made my very first mojito! I've had them before but never made one myself. A nice, light change from the craft beers I've grown to love.

I'm also on a smoothie kick and just bought a new book of smoothie recipes, which I plan to test out while we are here. Just returned from 5 days with extended family in MN and need a serious sugar detox.

Nothing fancy here. :) Since my departure from Coke (a-Cola) I still miss the carbonation burn every now and then and I've switched to flavored seltzer waters. Black cherry kind of reminds me of cherry coke and vanilla reminds me of cream soda. - I'll take it. While still not healthy, I do buy the kind without artificial sweeteners.

I'm not a juice person really, but the past few days I've been enjoying an ice cold glass of lemonade. Just the juice of one lemon paired with Sweetleaf brand stevia.

Dee--- add a short shot of triple sec, Cointreau or grand Marnier and you've got a Cosmo! DS1 has your same favorite, but for some reason he only likes Ketel. He's a great fan of craft beers and we have a good one in the next town--- Jailhouse. (The couple who started it bought the old town jail for their brewery and live above it. )

Sueb20 and olychick, mojitos are def a hot weather beverage, there's something so refreshing about mint.....reminds me of my mothers tea (but so much better!)

Old fixer, many who'd agree with you around here, and I stocked up on Vinho Verde in late winter, sas95, anticipating these hot days. Over the years I have honed down the white selections in our cellar to about 8 different wines, some I keep because guests like them (there's a seemingly neverending thirst for Pino Grigio) or because our kids like them (Rieslings or La Crema anything) amd then there are the ones I like or (vinho verde, Pouilly Fuisse).

Bonnieann, that's one architectural drink! I've never seen anything like it--- an adventure in a glass :-)

Shee, I hear you about the soda--- I drink very little because I am trying to drink more water , but I still love the carbonation, hence the fizzy water. You might try adding drops of vanilla or cherry flavoring to seltzer water.

This post was edited by kswl on Fri, Aug 1, 14 at 23:12

First a story, forgive me if I've already told you this one.

While driving home from HHI, after getting gas I needed to wash my hands and I wanted to get a drink (an Arnold Palmer, which is a mix of lemonade and iced tea). The easiest place to pull into was a McDonalds. I haven't been in a McDonalds for 30+ years, no joke. I asked the clerk if they had lemonade and unsweet tea. She says "yeah." I ask can I get 1/2 of each in your smallest size? She puts an empty cup on the counter and says kind of surly "do what you want, you get your own drink." Oh. Sorry. I didn't know. Last time I was in a McDonald's they controlled the drinks. And sold that orange-ade stuff. I still snicker thinking about her facial expression and attitude.

I made this Fizzy Ginger Green tea (BHG magazine) a few times this summer and it was an interesting change from the ordinary.

Combine 12 cups water, 1/4-1/2 c sugar, and a 3" piece of ginger (peeled and thinly sliced). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add 12 green tea bags, cover and let stand for 3 minutes. Remove tea bags and transfer to a pitcher. When cooled, fill a glas with ice, fill halfway with tea, then top with sparkling lemon water.

(I prefer to add my own lemon to plain sparkling water. I only make half the volume of simple syrup.)

Key Lime Pie Martini

1 1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 1/2 oz Ke-Ke Beach (key lime liqueur)
2/3 oz Rose's lime juice
Fresh lime juice (1/4 to 1/2 lime)
1 1/2 oz Half and Half

Shake with ice then strain into martini glasses that have been rimmed by running a slice of lime around the rims and dipping in Graham cracker crumbs.

Not at home right now so this recipe is from memory. It is very popular with my guests!

Sis, I would serve that for dessert, It sounds good!

I brew up some Raspberry Zinger iced tea and mix it half-and-half with lemonade, very refreshing. My new fave is a Leinie Summer Shandy! Since it's only about half beer, it doesn't put me to sleep. But it does have to be a hot day. With my girlfriends, it's Vinho Verde. And if I'm out and about, a simple gin and tonic. I should learn how to make one.

Love a Margarita made with Silver Patron, on the rocks, w/salt. I find them refreshing as well as thirst quenching, and if made right, can drink up to 3.hahaha

For a refreshing non-alcoholic drink, strawberry lemonade is my ultimate fave!

I love a big pitcher of Sangria with lots of fruit!

I am tasked with making mojitos for a party this Sat. For the recipe above, can you give me some general idea of what you use, that I can then vary "to taste". i need a starting point!

I think this is a good starting point. I looked for the recipe I first used but think it must have been on a rum bottle or?? One thing I've learned is to NOT put the mint in the simple syrup (when making the syrup) instead of muddling it. I did that one time per a friend's instruction and YUCK it made the mojito taste like mouthwash.

In a 16 ounce mixing glass, gently muddle together:
1 large sprig spearmint
.75 oz simple syrup
Add:
1 oz of fresh squeezed lime juice and pulp
2 oz white rum (sometimes called Silver Rum) I use Castillo Silver
3 oz club soda or sparkling mineral water

Top with crushed ice and mix until drink is combined and glass is frosty.

I used to use club soda, but now use Gerolsteiner mineral water that I buy at Trader Joe's. I've tried other mineral waters, but it's the only one I like I'd not use any other...if you can't find it, use club soda and use a name brand, not a house brand. I like Schweppes the best.

Here is a link that might be useful: Water I prefer to use

bpathome, I had some raspberry zinger tea in the cupboard and fresh squeezed lemonade in the fridge, so threw them together and you're right - a great combination.

I ordered a Pimm's at a restaurant the other day. No idea what was in it, but it was divine.

Pimm's started life as gin and fruit and by some miracle of fermentation, ascended to a higher plane :-)

I am going to have to try the rasp. Zinger / lemonade combo!

I am currently loving the French 75. Light enough, refreshing enough, simple ingredients.

INGREDIENTS
1 oz. gin
ý oz. simple syrup
ý oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Brut Champagne or a dry sparkling white wine
Lemon twist, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a glass. Top with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist to serve.

Here is a link that might be useful: French 75 recipe

Thanks Olychick! One more question-are you mixing it in the glass you will serve in? Or did it start in a 16 oz and you poured it into another glass at some point? No shaker I guess.

I had basil lemonade at a restaurant a couple of days ago and loved it. Always looking for recipes using basil since I grow it in my back yard and can't keep up with it. I made it yesterday using a recipe on epicurious and it was delicious. Need to buy more lemons!

rdquilter, yes, just mix in the glass with lots of ice - leave the ice in it. You could muddle the mint, then fill the glass with ice, then mix the rum, syrup and lime juice together, pour over ice in the glass, fill with bubbly water, then stir well.

I often use larger glasses because the ice is so refreshing and then I just double everything.