Recipes for Shabbat

Summer Drinks

By Eileen Goltz

You can you can make any meal feel like a party by mixing up some fun and thirst quenching drinks.

The easiest drink to start with is iced tea. A large pitcher is something you can keep ready and waiting in the fridge at all times. The best way to make iced tea is to brew your favorite tea (peach and/or raspberry tea is wonderful cold) in just enough boiling water to cover it. Let it steep for approx. five minutes, then strain out the teabags or leaves. This will leave you with some very strong tea essence. Pour this essence it into a pitcher and add lots of ice cubes to cool it down quickly. Add just enough cold water to make the tea just the right strength for you, and voila, fabulous iced tea! Keep it simple with just a wedge of lemon or a spoonful of sugar, or make it fancy by mixing in other fruit juices or flavored syrups.

In order to serve the iced fruit or frappe best drinks, you need some equipment. A blender, powerful enough to crush ice and/or ice cubes works best. As well as straws and a selection of glasses in different sizes and forms. Take the ice cubes from the freezer just before you use them. When you crush the ice cubes, start with the blender on low speed, until the ice cubes begin to crush; increase the speed to the maximum. You can also crush the ice cubes in a dish towel or plastic bag and use a cutting board, a hammer or a rolling pin.

Please note that you usually can’t substitute ingredients in frozen fruit drinks. If the recipe calls for concentrated orange juice, do not use freshly squeezed orange juice, as it tends to make the drink too thin. If you are making a smoothie, it’s best to use frozen fruit. If you want to use your own left over fruits, it is best to cut up the fresh fruit, place it in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze them. Store the frozen pieces in a plastic bag until you’re ready to use them.

So this summer don’t just drink bottled water or juice and diet pop. Mix up one of these festive, summery drinks instead! Almost all of them are quick and easy to make and you can probably have all the ingredients on hand for the moment you or your family are thirsty.

SPARKLING PINEAPPLE LEMONADE (pareve)

Perfect for summer picnics, barbecues, or simply sipping! Make a big batch to serve as a party punch.

In a large pitcher combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the pineapple juice and club soda but don’t over mix. Serve over ice. Serves 6 to 8. Note: Serve with a slice of lemon and/or pineapple in each glass.

CITRUS PUNCH (pareve)

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and swirl to dissolve the sugar. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. In a pitcher, combine the syrup with the orange, grapefruit, line and lemon juices. Stir to combine. Add the club soda and ice and mix to combine. Serve immediately. Serves 3. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

PINEAPPLE ZINGER (dairy or pareve)

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately. Serves 3. This recipe can be doubled or tripled

APRICOT STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE (pareve or dairy)

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until thoroughly mixed and serve. Serves 1. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

COFFEE BANANA SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)
Rich yet smooth, this shake will surprise you. Add a dollop of sweetened whip cream and serve as a dessert drink.

In a blender combine coffee, milk and bananas until smooth, and serve. Serves 2. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

CRANBERRY ICED TEA COOLER (pareve)

A great Iced Tea recipe the whole family will love!

In large pitcher, combine the cranberry and orange juice. Stir until both are well mixed. Then pour in the ice tea. Add the sugar and mix until you dissolve the sugar. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill about 1 hour. Serve in ice-filled glasses. Makes 8 servings.

*ICED TEA: Place 2-quart size iced tea bags in a glass or porcelain container.

Pour 2 quarts boiling water over tea bags and steep 7 to 10 minutes. Squeeze and remove tea bags, allow tea to cool.

ICED STRAWBERRY TEA (pareve)

Set aside five whole strawberries. Puree the rest in blender and then strain them into a pitcher. Stir in the cold tea, sugar and lemon juice and mix until the sugar dissolves. Chill. Serve over ice; garnish with berries

*ICED TEA: Place 2-quart size iced tea bags in a glass or porcelain container.

Pour 2 quarts boiling water over tea bags and steep 7 to 10 minutes. Squeeze and remove tea bags, allow tea to cool.

TOMATO COOLER (pareve)

Combine ingredients in a pitcher. Pour the juice over ice in glasses. Garnish with lime wedge. Serves 2.

FROZEN MELON SLUSHY

It's not a shake and it's not a smoothie. It's got an amazing taste, and it's my family’s newest favorite drink.

Heat the sugar and water, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts. Set aside to cool. 3. Put all the remaining ingredients, including the dissolved sugar syrup, in a blender and blend just long enough to achieve that icy-mush quality. Serve immediately, in tall frosty glasses. Serves 6.

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.