Don’t even walk down the soda aisle in the grocery store, skip ordering drinks at the restaurant, and enjoy your rousing homemade beverages. Here are some of my favorite summer drinks. They are time-tested crowd pleasers.
APPLE-PEPPERMINT PLEASURE
This is a summer staple at our house. The sweetness of the apples quench your thirst, and the peppermint cools the body. It is the perfect summer afternoon drink.
2 cups (500 ml) peppermint tea
Fresh juice from 4 apples
Dash of powdered cinnamon
ELDER FLOWER DELIGHT
This recipe was developed one evening when a neighbor dropped by with a bag of freshly picked limes. I had a large pot of elder flower tea on the stove that my son had been drinking for his allergies. I added the fresh limes and other ingredients and turned our hay fever tea into a sumptuous dinner cocktail!
2 cups (500 ml) elder flower-rose petal tea
¼ cup (60 ml) rose water
3 tablespoons (65 ml) maple syrup
¼ (60 ml) cup fresh lime juice
GINGER-BERRY JUICE
This refreshing drink is a hit turned into Popsicles.
2 cups (500 ml) ginger-oatstraw tea
2 cups (500 ml) raspberry juice
HERBAL LEMONADE
We make herbal lemonade for most every family gathering. No one misses the sodas; this lemonade is a festive and satisfying treat that is good for you.
2 cups (500 ml) herbal tea
½ cup (185 ml) honey
½ cup (125 ml) fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices for garnish
Put 1 cup (250 ml) of the tea and the honey into a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the honey liquefies and blends into the tea. Pour the tea-honey mixture into a pitcher and add the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) of the tea and the fresh lemon juice. Chill and serve garnished with fresh lemon slices.
