Still on my quest to find the most delicious drinks to have in the pool next to you, I tried out two more summer concoctions. Neither are recipes that you can throw together at the last second, taking at least 3 to 8 hours to prepare. But both had refreshing, fruity flavors to lighten an otherwise sweltering summer afternoon. Just as importantly, both had enough alcohol to lighten the mood but not enough to impair your swimming.
As promised, I began with a watermelon-based drink:
Watermelon Granita
Watermelon Granita:
10 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2/3 cup vodka
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup lime juice
Blend together thoroughly. Pour into shallow metal pan and place in freezer. Stir ever hour for at least 2 ½ hours. Let sit in glass for 10 minutes before serving.
The important thing here is to let it sit for the requisite 10 minutes. I initially rushed serving it only to realize that the flavors and the texture are not ideal straight out of the freezer. Let it get nice and slushy then serve with a spoon.
Next, I attempted another infused fruit mixture though most people would simply call it sangria since it is wine based.
White Peach Sangria
White Peach Sangria
2 bottles white wine
6 ounces brandy
4 ounces triple sec
2 cup orange juice
2 cup pineapple juice
4 ounces simple syrup
6 ounces white peach puree (peel peaches, remove pit and puree in a blender with a small amount of water)
Fresh peaches, oranges, and apples sliced
Stir together. Let sit for at least 8 hours but no more than 48.
You may have to play around with the ratios a little bit. Taste while initially mixing as well as before serving and adjust accordingly.
Though this was not the best white sangria I’ve ever tasted, it was the first one I have made myself and I must say it turned out quite well. I brought this to a pool party where it followed frozen pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris. The down side to that situation is that few people were able to appreciate all my hard work after drinking so much already. The up side is that…well, isn’t it pretty much all upside after that much alcohol?
Both the granita and the sangria were thirst quenching, eye pleasing, fruity goodness but neither of them really stood out to me as the perfect summer drink. Maybe I am asking for too much, but I’m looking for something refreshing and not too fruity that really catches my attention and won’t let go. Unfortunately, I still haven’t found that. But fortunately, the search continues.
Note: The Watermelon Granita recipe is adapted from one found in the July 2010 edition of Woman’s Day and the White Peach Sangria recipe is adapted from one on the Food Network site, posted by Bobby Flay. The original can be found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/white-peach-sangria-recipe/index.html
Hey – I appreciated all your hard work!