Cooling Summer Drinks

“Damn! It’s Hot Sangria with a Cold Rose’ & St. Germain”

~ Teresa Blackburn ~ 11 Comments

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Hello July! Hello cloying humidity! Hello heat!

No ovens, no stove-tops, crock-pots or any other sort of heat inducing machines…just ice cold Rose’ Wine, a splash of St. Germain elderflower liqueur,  lemons and  cucumbers. You will stay hydrated, eat your vegetables, cool down with my ready-for-the-4th of July “Damn! It’s Hot Sangria!”

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A giant glass jar is a fine thing to have around for mixing and conjuring.

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Drink up…you deserve a cool down…you’ve worked hard. Enjoy the long weekend with friends and family and some Sangria!

Listen to this while you mix and mingle or just want to dance around the house alone while you sip…..St. Germain, Tourist “Rose Rouge”…hot jazz, cool drink!

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Damn! It's Hot Sangria

  • Servings: many
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

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Ingredients:

  • One bottle of good really chilled Rose Wine
  • Juice of 4 lemons
  • 1/2 cup, or to taste, St. Germain
  • Thinly sliced lemons
  • Thinly sliced cucumbers
  • Lots of ice cubes

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a large glass jar or pitcher and serve.

Recipe by: Teresa Blackburn     http://www.teresablackburnfoodstyling.com

Cooling Mint Tea for Hot Summer Days…E.A.T. #8

~ Teresa Blackburn ~ 13 Comments

Mint Tea

“Fresh Mint Tea”

Isn’t it odd how sometimes you have to get outside your everyday life to become aware of the most obvious things? Does this happen to you?

Fresh mint stepped in hot water, sometimes called a tisane, is a North African drink that is served in most sidewalk cafes and restaurants in Amsterdam. On our recent trip I sipped this caffeine free hot drink and mused on why I had never made this very refreshing and cooling drink at home. Mint has a naturally sweet flavor with a cooling after-sensation which makes it the  perfect drink for these hot summer days.

All you need is fresh mint leaves, boiling hot water and if you like, a sweetener. I used some of my homemade Vanilla Sugar. It is just as “Easy As This”.

Gather fresh mint. I cut fresh Pineapple mint, Spearmint & Peppermint from my backyard. Mint from the grocery or farmer’s market is fine too. Rinse & dry the leaves.

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Heat water in the kettle. Stuff a handful of mint leaves down into each cup.

Mint Tea Making

Pour boiling water over mint leaves. Let steep for about 1 minute.

Hot water over mint

Stir in vanilla sugar to taste if desired. Honey, Agave nectar or any other of your favorite sweeteners.

Mint Tea with Vanilla Sugar

Mint Tea

Try my easy “Mint Sun Tea” for drinking iced. Stuff fresh mint leaves down into a glass container. Fill with water. Sit container in the sun for a few hours so that mint leaves can steep and release their flavors into the water as it warms.

Mint Sun Tea

Pour over ice, add sugar to taste if you like and fresh lemon.

Iced Mint Tea

Mint is vigorously easy to grow. If you do not have a garden or yard, just plant some in a pot and place in a windowsill or on a patio.

Drink your Mint and stay cool.