summer drinks formula/chart

alcohol is optional !

I’m here today with a chart of summer drinks — all refreshing, all infinitely adaptable, all best served on ice. Some more details below the chart. Enjoy!

Some Notes:

Watermelon Cooler:

• The ratio of watermelon to lime to honey is absolutely up to you, but I’d start with about 3 cups of watermelon cubes, 1 tablespoon of lime, and a little squeeze (about 2 teaspoons?) of honey. Then adjust to your liking. This is a good place to learn how to trust your instincts/taste buds!

• If your watermelon is super sweet, blend without the honey and then taste before adding any.

• I don’t strain this, but if you want to, you can. Your drink, your effort!

• A pinch of salt is also really nice here. Just add it to the blender with the watermelon. Or skip that and put salt on the rim of your glass before filling with ice if you’re going in the tequila/watermelon margarita direction.

• If you want this to be a slushy, FREEZE pieces of watermelon before blending.

Hibiscus Refresher

• To make iced tea quickly, pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over a tea bag, let it sit for a minute, then add a big handful of ice. You can do more tea bags + a little more boiling water if you want a bigger batch.

• If you make this boozy with tequila, it’s basically a tequila sunrise with hibiscus taking the place of grenadine. The more you know!

Cucumber + Mint Spritzer

• Straining the cucumber mixture effectively gives you cucumber water, so that plus lemon juice and simple syrup is basically cucumber lemonade. So good.

• Don’t stress about amounts here, but a good place to start is one large cucumber and a small handful of mint. I said “peeled cucumbers” in the chart because it’s easier to strain the mixture, but honestly you don’t have to peel them! If you don’t, you’ll get a greener color, too. Totally up to you.

• Simple syrup = equal amounts of sugar and water brought to a boil in a small saucepan and cooked until the sugar dissolves (like a minute) and then let it cool to room temperature. Can be stored in a jar/container/squeeze bottle in your fridge indefinitely. Easier to mix into any and all drinks than regular sugar, plus you can use it to fill hummingbird feeders (I am married to a birder and regularly wonder where all of our sugar has gone).

Coconut Limeade

• See above ^ re: simple syrup.

• A wheel of lime is a nice garnish here!

• Here’s my favorite little citrus juicer for limes + lemons (not sponsored!).

Until my online cooking classes return in September (I’m on my summer teaching break!), you can always check out my on-demand video library with 70+ of my previously recorded classes.

Each class includes fully written recipes + a grocery.

»»»» VIDEO LIBRARY RIGHT HERE!!! ««««

See you again soon. xo, Julia