Thai Colada

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I promise this will make up for it. Summer is over, which makes me so very glad because Fall is here! Yahoo! And this, my friends, is the perfect drink to toast to Fall. How is a Pina Colada the perfect Fall beverage? Because it is reminiscent of Summer (without it tasting light sunscreen smells), you can sip it outside where there's a cool breeze, and it's downright delicious.

Thai Colada


1 can coconut milk
1 stalk fresh lemongrass
1/2 fresh pineapple (peeled and cored)
1 frozen banana
1/3 cup simple syrup
1/2-3/4 clear rum (we used Bacardi)

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk on medium high heat. Chop the lemongrass into pieces (it doesn't matter what size - as long as they are large enough to strain out of the liquid) and add it into the pan. Turn down the heat and allow the liquid to cool. Dice the pineapple and put about 1/2 of it in a blender. Add some of the rum (the fruit will puree better with some liquid in there) and puree. Add the rest of the pineapple and puree. Next, slice the frozen banana and add it. Pour the simple syrup into the blender and add a few ice cubes. Puree until smooth. Finally, once the coconut milk has cooled, strain it and add it into the blender. Blend and pour into glasses to enjoy! We garnished ours with a piece of pineapple and a lemongrass stalk.

Enjoy! (We did!)

New Favorite Thing: Agua Fresca

You may remember a previous post where I gave a recipe for cucumber, lime and mint agua fresca? Well, now I've found another: watermelon agua fresca. OH MY GOSH it's so delicious! I can't even tell you... you just have to try it. I like both of the recipes equally, so you should try them both. I just (literally about 4 minutes ago) made the watermelon agua fresca and am sipping it happily right now. Talk about refreshing!

So, here is the recipe, courtesy of the "Yummy Supper" blog:

Watermelon Agua Fresca with Fresh Mint and Lime

Ingredients:

4 cups watermelon puree ( approximately 1 medium watermelon)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (approximately 4-5 juicy limes)

1/3 cup chopped mint leaves

1/4 cup, plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup water

Make a simple syrup. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a sauce pan. Heat until sugar has dissolved. Let cool. (Note: The simple syrup you don't use for this recipe can be refrigerated and and put to other uses in cocktails or to sweeten your iced coffee or tea.)

Next, Cut off watermelon rind and dice into large pieces. Place approximately 2 cups of watermelon flesh into your blender. Using a spoon, push down the watermelon chunks until they release a bunch of juice (this released liquid will help make the blending easier). Blend thoroughly. Do another batch until you have yielded 4 cups of pureed watermelon.

Juice limes and add lime juice to blender. Coarsely chop mint leaves. Crush mint with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Use a mortar and pestle if you have one, otherwise use a wooden spoon in a bowl to pulverize the mint and sugar. When you are done, you will have a well-integrated mint/sugar paste. Add paste into the blender.

Blend pureed watermelon and lime juice with the sugary mint). Add 2-3 tablespoons simple syrup. How much simple syrup you use will depend on the natural sugar content of your watermelon and your own personal preference for sweetness.

Served chilled. Always give the punch a stir before serving to integrate the ingredients.

P.S. If you want to transform this punch into a cocktail, I suggest adding 2 tablespoons rum to every cup of punch.

Hello lover.

If you're on the fence about this and just don't know if you'll like it... make it. It's the most refreshing, tasty, tangy, beverage that I've had all summer. Enjoy!

~ Mari

A Tall Drink of Agua Fresca

Chances are, wherever you are right now, it's hot outside. And heat brings thirst... and I've honestly never had a more thirst-quenching and refreshing beverage than this one: Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca. I realize it's a mouthfull (hah... I'm so punny), but it's so freaking fantastic! I don't usually post about beverages on this blog... in fact I don't think I ever have. But, this beverage deserved a post. It's from the site, Simply Recipes, and it is definitely simple to make and delicious to drink. Just make it. You'll be oh so glad and oh so cool.

Photo from Simply Recipes

Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca
1 lb of cucumbers (about 2 good sized cucumbers), ends trimmed, but peel still on, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup lime juice from fresh limes (from about 1 pound of limes, or 5 to 10 limes, depending on how juicy they are)

1 1/4 cup packed mint leaves (about a large handful), woody stems removed

1/2 cup sugar (I used agave nectar to taste)

Approximately 1 1/4 cup of water

Put ingredients in blender, add enough water to fill 3/4 of blender. Hold the lid on the blender and purée until smooth. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the purée through it, pressing against the sieve with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid out as possible. Fill a large pitcher halfway with ice cubes. Add the juice. Serve with sprigs of mint and slices of lime.

Easy peasy! Please make it... and tell me if you like it!
 
~ Mari

Rosemary Lemonade

If you've got warm weather on the brain, this is sure to get you smiling! (You know that lemonade makes you smile...) So, if you've got lemons, rosemary, and sugar - you've got a unique drink that is great for a warm afternoon in the sun.

Rosemary Lemonade

5 cups water

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup fresh rosemary (3 sprigs)

8 lemons, juiced & strained

In a medium sauce pot, heat 3 cups of water. While it heats (before it boils), add the 2 cups of sugar to the pot. Stir as it heats, bringing it to a boil. Allow it to boil for about a minute.

Turn off the heat and put 3 whole sprigs of rosemary (1/2 cup of rosemary leaves - off the stem) into the water.

Let the rosemary sit in the hot water for a few minutes (as long as it takes you to squeeze the lemons!).

Take 8 lemons, halve them, and squeeze as much juice as you can out of them!

You'll wind up with about that much juice (below).

Next, strain the lemon juice (don't want any seeds in there!) into a pitcher or storage container.

Then strain the rosemary water liquid into the same pitcher, add 2 more cups of water (this makes it not QUITE as intense), stir it around, and VOILA! Rosemary lemonade!

I like how it has a green tint to it - and the flavor is unlike anything you've ever tasted! It's hard to describe, but it doesn't really taste like rosemary. It's just a hint of an herbal flavor. Chef Joe Cairns taught me how to make this in school - and now I'm passin it on to you!

Enjoy!

~ Mari