Give Your Summer Fruits A Twist With These Drinks

We’ve already given you a list of drinks to make this summer, but now let’s focus on the fruits of the summer and what you can do with them to cool down and relax.

Summer in India is unpredictable and more often than not, it’s worse than we thought it was going to be. Staying hydrated is important and while water can do that for you, it’s also good to switch it up once in a while and try something new. Eating fruits is also healthy, as are vegetables, but when you invite everyone over for a Sunday brunch or an early dinner, you need to offer them drinks that will be delicious and cooling, but also not too heavy.

Try these mocktails, cocktails and smoothies for some variety this summer and if you’ve got suggestions for drinks or think we missed a few good ones, let us know in the comments. And, we’ve got a list of watermelon based drinks you can try here.

Grape Martini

Grapes contain an antioxidant that helps prevent cancer and it also helps keep your skin fresh and young. And if that’s not all, it also lowers cholesterol and helps with kidney disorders amongst other things. It’s also a great fruit for the summer when kept in the refrigerator and eaten cold. You can either use grape juice or blend grapes and then add it along with gin and bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and serve.

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

Kiwi is high in Vitamin C, which acts as a powerful antioxidant that helps fight against cancer and also a great source of dietary fiber. And when mixed with strawberries and milk, it becomes a delicious drink for you to carry on the go or while you’re pottering around the house. Blend sliced kiwi and strawberries with ice, oats and milk till smooth, add some honey for sweetness and serve immediately!

Lychee Martini

Studies say that lychee has as much Vitamin C as oranges and lemons, plus a significant amount of potassium and fiber, making it a fruit that has pretty much everything that is good for your body and for your health. It’s a lot harder to make juice out of fresh lychees, but if you can peel the fruit off the seed and blend it, that would be best. Mix ice, vodka, lychee juice and vermouth, shake till chilled and serve in martini glasses with lychees for garnishing.

Mango Margarita

Benefits of mango aside, summer is the one time in the year when you can stuff your face with the best fruit on the planet. So make use of it while you can make yourself a mango margarita with chilli and salt rimmed glasses. Blend mango, ice, tequila and triple sec, add sugar and lime juice and when done, pour it into your margarita glasses and serve. Sweet and tangy for the summer.

Orange Mimosa

The best ingredient for mimosas is freshly squeezed orange juice, plus it’ll retain the tarty flavour and won’t have excessive sugar. It’s a combination of orange juice and sparkling wine, there’s really nothing more to it, but keep in mind that equal parts of the two ingredients is probably the best thing to do. First pour the wine, then the orange juice and remember, do not stir! Make sure both wine and juice are cold and only take it out of the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve.

Pina Colada

Dice the pineapple and keep it frozen, then with the remainder, squeeze out some fresh juice (or you can just buy some juice to make it easier). Blend ice, frozen pineapple, juice, coconut cream and white and dark rums till smooth and frosty. Serve right away and garnish with pineapple slices. If you’re not a big fan of coconut flavours, this is a drink you should avoid, even if pineapple is the base, the coconut is very strong.

Strawberry G&T

There isn’t a more perfect drink for the summer than a G&T and when you add strawberries to the mix, it becomes an even better summer drink. Muddle your strawberries with a handful of mint leaves and some lime juice. Add some sugar to the strawberries and set aside for a bit. Fill a jug with ice cubes, measure out the gin (25ml for a single shot) and put it into the jug, then add the strawberry mix and top it up with tonic water, stir and serve.